Match Made in a Boardroom
by anonymousgg
Summary: Rory's controlling grandmother is at it again, trying to set her up with one of Hartford's biggest playboys. Can Rory stand up to her grandparents and say no, or will she be guilted into submission? And what will happen if she's left alone with the deviously handsome Logan Huntzberger? ROGAN NOTE: I do not own Gilmore Girls or the characters contained in this story. Completed
1. Chapter 1

"Yes, Grandma, I understand. I will be there on Friday night at 7:00. Yes, I will wear the blue dress you bought me in Rome. No, I don't need anyone there to do my hair and makeup. Are we really doing this again? Fine. I'll see you Friday. Goodbye, Grandma."

Rory sighed as she hung up the phone with Emily Gilmore. It seemed that her grandma's insistence on finding an appropriate potential husband for Rory had intensified as of lately, and she was none too amused.

Hartford society or not, heir to the Gilmore and Hayden fortunes or not, she was only 20 years old and in her second year at Yale. She wondered how much worse her Grandma's stunts would be had her parents not made such a point to raise her with one foot in Hartford society and one foot firmly planted in the real world. She was so grateful that her Mom and Dad had made the decision to raise her differently than she had been raised.

Picking up her phone, she dialed her mom.

"Lorelai's house of ill repute," her mother answered after only one ring.

"Have I told you lately how much I love you and Dad, Mom? Because seriously, I do. Thank you for never going Emily Gilmore on me."

"Uh-oh. This doesn't sound good at all, kid. What's Ava done now?"

"Just roped me into another Friday night event at their house. I've been ordered to wear that blue dress that clings to all my curves and be on time and on my best behavior to meet some friends of Grandma and Grandpa's."

"Ouch. No fun at all. Are you going?"

"Of course I'm going, Mom. You know that I try to keep the peace there and make an effort to do the reasonable things that they ask me to do."

"You're a good kid, Ror. You know that you don't have to do anything that they ask you to do though, right? You can always say no."

"Of course I know that, Mom. It just seems easier sometimes to pick my battles. I don't enjoy being constantly shown to suitable young men like a prize to be won, but it keeps her off my back. Sometimes it's worth the peace. Know what I mean?"

"I do know that feeling well, kiddo. Speaking of…"

"I don't like that tone of voice, Mother."

"Now, now. Don't go mothering me just yet. Look, I might have an idea of what they want Friday night, okay?"

"Spill, now," ordered Rory.

"They want to introduce you to another one of their choices for the future Mr. Rory Gilmore-Hayden. Their first choice, actually."

"That's nothing new. I can smile and be polite and get the heck out of there as soon as possible."

"Sweetie, there's a little more going on here. They want you to start dating this one."

"What?! That's ridiculous, Mom! How could you let them do this?"

"Rory, your Dad and I don't control everything. They made it a condition of you getting your trust fund, but they're giving you the choice. You say no, it's forgotten."

"Seriously, Mom. How? Just...how could you let them?"

"I'm not letting them do anything other than present you with the choice. From there it's all in your hands. You will get your trust fund either way, although the lucky bachelor isn't quite as fortunate. Expect some pressure from him, because his financial situation will be drastically changed if he doesn't do this."

"This is so archaic and sexist, Mom."

"I know, sweetie. I really do. But you can say no, Rory. Despite their ridiculous ideas on things, they love you, and they'll still love you if you say no."

"What exactly will they be asking me to do?" Rory asked with an eye roll.

"Date this man, exclusively, until he graduates. He's a year ahead of you."

"Seriously? Mom! What about what I want?"

"Like I said, kiddo. You can say no. Hell, your Dad and I will have your back and support you completely."

"It's really my choice?" asked Rory.

"It's really your choice, kid. Don't let anyone take that away from you. Okay?"

"Do I at least get to know who he is before Friday?"

"Don't tell Ava that I told you, but sure. It's Logan Huntzberger."

"His reputation proceeds him, Mom. That's disgusting."

"Just say no and it's all forgotten, sweetie. Just tell them no and then call me after, okay?"

"Sure. Love you, Mom."

"Love you too, kiddo."

Rory was in a mood as she went through the next two days. Really, nothing should surprise her from her grandparents anymore, but it still did.

She had finally dragged Marty and Paris to the pub for a few drinks to take the edge off, hoping to forget the situation for the night, only to see the eligible bachelor there partying with his friends and hitting on anything with two legs. Finally arriving back in her room in an even worse mood than before, she shut her door, kicked off her shoes, laid down on her bed, and dialed one of her best friends.

"Hello?"

"Tristan! How are you?"

"Hey, Mare. I'm good. How's my favorite Yalie?"

"She just came from the pub and is in an even worse mood now. What does that tell you?"

"That sounds serious. You almost never drink. Care to talk about it?"

"Actually, I do. You'd better sit down first, though. I wouldn't want you to hit your pretty head when you faint."

"Not good at all," he replied. "Okay, I'm sitting."

Rory exhaled deeply before she began. "Ava and Adolf have demanded my presence at a dinner with an eligible bachelor and his parents this Friday night."

"That's nothing new, Ror. I mean, it's not as fun as spending Friday evening hanging out with me, but it could be worse," replied Tristan.

"Oh, I'm not finished. It definitely is worse. Apparently, they want me to date this idiot until the end of my junior year as part of a business deal."

"That is definitely worse. And if you don't?"

"Well, it sounds like I have an actual choice in the matter, and I can say no without consequence other than facing their wrath. He, however, apparently loses a big 'ole chunk of his precious trust fund if we don't."

"Not your problem, right?" asked Tristan.

"No, not really. Can I ask you something?"

"Of course, Mare. You can always ask me anything."

"When your parents sent you to military school, was it worth it?" asked Rory.

"Are you thinking about enlisting, Ror?"

"No, it's just...answer the question, Tris."

"Okay. It was hard, but it was good for me. It made me grow up and did me a lot of good, and it also got me out of their house and out from under their thumbs. As long as I towed the line and didn't get kicked out, I didn't have to worry about hearing from my parents. That was worth a hell of a lot."

"So you don't resent them for sending you?" she asked.

"No, I really don't. I was happier there than I ever was living in their house. The peace and lack of hovering was worth it. Why?"

"No reason, really," replied Rory. "I was just curious. Alright, I'm buzzed and exhausted, so I'm going to bed. Night, Tris."

"Night, Mare. Sleep tight."

Rory had slept fitfully and had barely been able to focus through her classes on Friday. She had fielded a record-breaking number of phone calls from her grandmother during the day, her grandmother wanting to ensure that she hadn't forgotten what time to be there or what she was supposed to wear. It was quite infuriating. Her grandmother had even insisted on sending a car to pick her up, probably to ensure that she was at her mercy, but it wasn't a fight that Rory was willing to fight right now. She needed to save her energy for the big fight she would have on her hands.

She finished her hair and makeup, having decided to leave her hair down in loose curls and go with light makeup, and pulled her dress on. She frowned when she looked in the mirror, realizing that her dress was so clingy and so fitted that it showed everything.

"Mom!" Rory wailed. "Help!"

Lorelai came running into Rory's room. "Is everything okay, kid?"

"No, everything is not okay. Look at this! How am I supposed to wear this dress when it clings like this?"

You're gonna have to go commando, kid," answered Lorelai.

"What? You can't be serious!"

"I'm afraid I am, Ror. It's the only way. By the way, the car is here to pick you up."

"Fine! I'll be out in just a minute," Rory said with a pout.

Emerging from her room a minute later with her clutch, her parents both whistled when they saw her.

"Whoa there, kiddo. I don't think this dad is okay with his little girl looking like that."

"Sorry, Daddy. Emily's orders."

"Ror, remember what we talked about. Just say no and then call me when you get back to your dorm, okay? We've got your back. Right, Chris?"

"Absolutely," said Christopher.

"Bye, guys! Love you!"


	2. Chapter 2

Logan emerged from his Porsche and stood in front of the Gilmore house. He knew that Mitchum and Shira had to be up to something with this dinner. It was likely yet another attempt to get him to settle down with some woman of their choosing, and the thought made him shudder. He didn't need anyone's help finding someone to spend the night with. He could have his choice of any woman he wanted, which only made these stupid arranged meetings all the more annoying. It was usually some incredibly boring, unattractive, stifling society girl, and that was exactly the type that Logan stayed away from. They didn't interest him in the least, and even if they ever did, it wouldn't be worth the instant pressure of wedding planning that he would have to endure.

Straightening his tie and jacket, Logan put on his well-practiced society smile and rang the bell. He wanted to get this family obligation out of the way as quickly as possible so he could join his friends at the pub.

Greeting the maid who opened the front door, Logan steeled himself as he heard his parents' voices in the living room. He was going to need a drink to get him through this night. Suddenly, Emily Gilmore rounded the corner into the foyer and greeted him with her trademark hostess smile.

"Logan, I'm so glad you could make it. Come, join us in the living room."

Kissing Emily's cheek, Logan followed behind her to face whatever it was that his parents wanted from him tonight.

"Emily, thank you so much for inviting me. It's always a pleasure to see you," he answered while turning on his patented Huntzberger charm.

As he entered the living room, he noticed that it was only the five of them and sighed with relief. Perhaps tonight wouldn't be quite so bad after all.

"Richard, pleasure to see you, sir. Mitchum, Shira, good evening," Logan said with his best society voice. He hated being put through these ridiculous nights of schmoozing.

"Logan, so good to see you. Would you like something to drink?" asked Richard.

"A scotch would be wonderful. Thank you, Richard," replied Logan as he accepted his drink and sat on the empty couch across from his parents. They had situated themselves on the couch nearest the drink cart, Emily was in the single chair that sat at a 90 degree angle to the couch, and Richard stood behind her.

"Yes, I seemed to remember that you were fond of scotch, Logan. It is a fine drink for a gentleman, is it not?" Richard said as he held his glass up toward Logan.

"Indeed it is, sir."

Just as he began to think that the night might not be as painful as he had anticipated, Emily broke the silence.

"Logan, you must meet our granddaughter, Rory. She goes to Yale as well. Have you meet her on campus?"

There it was. The hint at pairing him off with another society girl. Polite smile firmly in place, Logan answered Emily. "No, Emily, I haven't met her. Perhaps another time."

"Oh, nonsense," answered Emily. "The car got tied up in traffic, but she should be here any moment."

Logan steeled himself. He should have known better than to think this night would just be a friendly gathering of two powerful families.

"I can hardly wait, Emily," Logan said as he finished his scotch and sat his glass on the table in front of him.

As the doorbell rang, Emily flew into the foyer to greet her newest guest.

"Rory, there you are!" cried Emily with far too much excitement.

"I'm sorry, Grandma. We left early, but traffic was terrible," he heard the unknown female say.

"Nonsense, there's nothing to apologize for. Now, come! I want to introduce you to someone."

Looking up as he heard footsteps approach the sitting room, Logan did a doubletake as he saw the girl who followed Emily into the room.

"Rory, I would like to introduce you to Mitchum and Shira Huntzberger. Mitchum and Shira, this is our lovely granddaughter, Rory Gilmore-Hayden."

"It's lovely to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Huntzberger," Rory said as she shook her hands and greeted them.

"Please," boomed Mitchum, "I insist that you call us by our first names."

"Certainly, Mitchum," Rory answered tightly. Logan was certain that he saw annoyance on her face.

Taking the lead once again, Emily turned Rory toward Logan and introduced them with a sparkle in her eyes.

"Rory, this is Mitchum and Shira's son, Logan."

Logan stood without thinking and shook Rory's hand.

"Logan, it's a pleasure to meet you," Rory said.

"The pleasure is all mine, Miss Hayden," he replied, his voice cracking a bit. Rory wasn't the type he would bring back to his dorm for the night, but she was certainly stunning with her blue eyes and that dress that hugged her body. Sitting back down on the couch, Logan chuckled to himself at the turn of events. At least if he was going to be stuck here schmoozing for the sake of his family there would be some eye candy to help him through the night.

"Rory, have a seat. Your usual?" asked her Grandpa.

"Sure, Grandpa. Thank you," she answered as she sat on the loveseat next to Logan, the only empty seat in the room, and accepted her drink with a grateful nod to her Grandpa. She had a feeling that she was going to need more than a few martinis to get her through the night, and since she wasn't driving she was going to allow herself to indulge.

"Dinner will be served shortly. I'm certain that you two men have something to discuss in the study, no?" Emily asked as she waved to Mitchum and Richard with a pointed look.

"Oh, certainly, dear. Yes, Mitchum, shall we?" Richard said as he and Mitchum disappeared from view.

After a couple of moments of awkward silence, Emily spoke again. "Shira, could I get you to help me look at the seating chart for the next DAR event, dear? I have it in the other room."

"I would love to, Emily. Lead the way," Shira answered as they both left the room.

Musing to himself about how painfully obvious his parents and the Gilmores were being, Logan finally turned to Rory.

"So, Rory. I haven't seen you around Yale," Logan stated.

"Yes, I'm certain that we are generally in much different places around campus."

"Oh, is that so?" he asked with an amused smirk.

"Yes, I tend to be in the library, in class, or in the newsroom. I tend not to frequent the parties that Yale's most eligible bachelors throw," she answered coldly.

Logan was taken aback at how aloof Rory was in the situation. Women were normally fawning for his attention.

"And why is that?" he quipped back at her.

"Let's just say that I'm not really a party kind of girl," she said with a glare as she finished her martini and sat the glass down.

"I see," Logan said. After a long pause, he continued. "Would you like another?" he asked while motioning to her drink. "Might as well make this night as pleasant as possible, right?"

"Sure, that would be great," she said with a little less tension in her voice.

Crossing the room, Logan quickly made her another martini and himself another scotch and returned to his seat.

"Well, Rory," he began. "Are you as absolutely thrilled to be here as I am?" he asked sarcastically as he sat back.

"Completely," she quipped. "I mean, an arranged dinner with the Huntzberger heir. What girl in her right mind wouldn't be giddy with excitement?" she said as she rolled her eyes.

Laughing out loud now, he relaxed some. "I assure you that I am no more happy to be here than you are. The things we do to keep family happy, right?"

Finally meeting his gaze, she seemed to let her guard down a bit. "Right, the things we do for family. So, Logan, tell me about yourself."

Working on her second martini of the night and with the pleasantries out of the way, Rory began to relax a bit. "It's just one night", she reminded herself. "Make the best of it, say no, and go back to Yale and study."

"I'm not sure what there is to tell. I'm a journalism major, a year ahead of you. I took last year off to sail around the world with friends. I am the heir to the Huntzberger fortune first as far as Mitchum and Shira are concerned, and anything else should take a backseat to that. I have an older sister, Honor, who is the only member of my family who I am close to. Now, tell me about you"

"Well," Rory began slowly, "I am also a journalism major. I write for the Yale Daily News. I love reading, I work hard in school. It's important to me. I want to be an overseas correspondent. I am an only child, but I am very close to my Mom and Dad. My mom is my best friend, actually. We've always been extremely close."

"That's unusual in our circles, isn't it?" asked Logan.

"Well, I wasn't exactly raised in the same circles that you have been raised in."

"Nonsense," he answered quickly. "The Gilmores and Haydens are quite powerful in Hartford society. I'm surprised that this is our first meeting, frankly. I have been to many events here at your grandparents' house and I don't recall ever seeing you. Why is that?"

"My parents sheltered me from this as much as possible when growing up. Sure, I was a debutante and I've been at a few events, but they don't push me into these things. They actually push me away from society as much as possible."

"That must be nice," Logan said without thinking. Rory could have sworn she saw hurt in his eyes as he said that. "I mean, it sounds like your parents really care about you."

"They do. That's why we're so close," answered Rory.

"So, what brings you here this evening if your parents aren't making you?"

"Ah, I never said that my grandparents don't push me into society," Rory said with a laugh. "My grandmother demanded my presence, and I do try keep them happy within reason. It makes my life much more bearable and gives me a few days of peace if I give in to her requests every now and then."

Logan returned her laugh. "I can't say that's the same tactic I use with my family. I only cave to their demands when absolutely necessary."

"Only when threatened with being cut off?" Rory asked with a hint of anger.

"Something like that," answered Logan as Emily returned to tell them that dinner was served.

Before Rory could stand, Logan had risen from his seat and offered his hand to help Rory up from hers. Oh yes, she could see exactly where this was going. She suddenly realized that he knew exactly what was going on tonight and was turning on the charm in order to attempt to hold on to his precious trust fund. She finally placed her hand in his with a sigh and allowed him to help her from her seat.

Emily watched with amusement as Rory accepted Logan's hand to help her from the couch and placed his hand at the small of her back to lead her to the dining room. Perhaps this would be easier than she had hoped. She was certain that her granddaughter wasn't going to take the news of their request well, and she could only hope that she didn't make a scene when she learned the true reason for this dinner.

Turning her attention back to the newly-acquainted pair as they entered the dining room, she watched as Logan pulled out Rory's chair and helped her getting situated before settling himself next to her.

"Oh, Logan, you are such a gentleman! Isn't he a gentleman, Rory?" Emily practically squealed.

"Yes, Grandma, he's been a perfect gentleman," Rory said as she rolled her eyes and Logan laughed to himself.

It was so incredibly obvious to Rory that her grandparents and Logan's parents were steering the conversation throughout dinner, each of them not-so-subtly bringing up things about Logan or Rory that they thought the other would like. Rory wasn't sure how much more of this she could take, but she did know that she had to stick it out and finish this night up. If she made an excuse to leave now her grandparents would just try to pair them off again and be even more forceful about it.

Dinner finally over, they returned to the sitting room for after-dinner drinks, and Rory felt more on-edge than ever. She knew that the dreaded moment was coming, and she was preparing herself for the pressure that would ensue from her grandparents and the Huntzbergers, intent on making a making a business deal from hers and Logan's lives, and from Logan in an attempt to hold on to his precious trust fund.

Excusing herself to the restroom, she pulled out her cell phone and found a text from her mom.

 _If you decide to come back home after the scandalous turndown of the century, we can consume massive amounts of ice cream and watch Willy Wonka._

Laughing to herself, Rory quickly tapped out a reply and hit send before emerging from the restroom.

 _I always love a good scandal. I'll be there as soon as I can escape Adolf and Ava._

Back in her seat next to Logan, the moment that Rory had been dreading so much finally materialized.

"Logan, Rory," Mitchum began. "It has been a delight to join our families together for dinner this evening, has it not?" Without waiting for a response, he continued. "I can't begin to tell you what a more lasting joining of the Huntzberger, Gilmore, and Hayden families would mean in the business world."

"Mitchum," interrupted Logan with a glare toward his father.

"I wasn't finished, son," said Mitchum sternly. "As I was saying, a joining of this magnitude would further cement the legacy of our families."

Rory watched Logan shift uncomfortably in his seat and thought to herself that he looked as if he was caught off guard by his father's statements.

"Yes," continued Mitchum "and so we have something to discuss here as adults."

"No," Logan said as he stood up angrily, "we have nothing more to discuss."

"Son, sit down," Mitchum said angrily.

With a glance at Rory, Logan returned to his seat and she could easily see the tension in his body.

"As I was saying, there comes a time when we must take matters into our own hands. We are proposing that you and Miss Hayden date each other through the remainder of your time at Yale. It will be good for you, son. It will help your image greatly, and it will also be lucrative for business."

Rory watched Logan spring up off of the couch again and turn red with what she assumed was anger.

"You've gone too far this time, Mitchum," Logan yelled. "I will do no such thing. You have no right to ask this of me. I cannot believe that you would bring me here and then spring this on me. Actually, I can believe that. It's sounds exactly like something you would do."

"I was afraid that you might react in this manner," Mitchum said with a calculating tone. "That's why your mother and I made this a condition of you receiving your full trust fund. Your trust fund will be significantly impacted should you choose not to comply."

"You what? I...I...I'm going for a walk. Richard, Emily, Rory, please excuse me," he said as he exited the french doors and walked toward the garden behind the mansion.

Rory noticed Mitchum rise quickly to follow Logan and before she knew what was happening, she stood up and spoke.

"Mitchum, please, allow me to speak with him," she said as more of a demand rather than a request as she exited the room, every eye on her. She laughed to herself at seeing the shock on their faces and turned on her heel quickly.

Logan was seething as he paced angrily in the garden. He heard approaching footsteps and was steeling himself for the showdown that would ensue, but instead he saw Rory approaching.

"You're awfully calm for someone who just got this all thrust at her, aren't you?" he said angrily.

"Actually, I'm not just getting this all thrust at me. Between you and me? My mom told me earlier in the week."

"So you've had time to make peace with this ridiculous demand that our families are using to force us to do their bidding?" Logan asked with disbelief.

"In the interest of full disclosure, I'm not being forced into anything," she answered quietly.

"It sure sounded like it in there. Sure, you could say no, but the financial consequences would be dire, right?"

"Logan, can we sit down and talk for a minute?" she asked as she reached out to touch his arm and looked up at him with her baby blue eyes. Logan was still seething with anger, but something about her touch and looking in her eyes calmed him a bit.

"Sure, let's sit," he said as he motioned at the bench near them.

"So, I wasn't quite finished with my full disclosure," she said awkwardly. "I'm not being forced into anything. My parents would only allow my grandparents to give me the choice in the matter, not to force me into it. It's written into the conditions of my trust fund that I must be presented with the option."

"Well, aren't you the lucky one," he answered her bitterly.

"I'm still not finished, Logan. I've seen the contract that they want us to sign."

Becoming curious, he finally turned his attention fully to her. "Go on."

"My dad and I sat down and went over it together," she continued.

"What exactly do they want from us?"

"They want you and I to date, exclusively, until your graduation. They want us to be seen in society and in life together in order to strengthen their business ties and give them more leverage in the business world and in society."

"Date exclusively? That's ridiculous! I don't do committed relationships!"

"Trust me," Rory replied. "I've heard."

"So, what did your parents tell you?" he asked.

"My parents told me to come to dinner, say no, and then come home and eat ice cream and watch our favorite movie together."

"Wow, must be nice," he said bitterly.

"You really don't get any support or encouragement from your parents?" she asked.

"No, only demands and speeches about what a failure I am," he answered with sadness in his eyes.

"What if I told you that there's a way to get them off of your back to an extent?"

Logan laughed as he answered her. "You should probably have medical staff on hand before telling me anything that shocking."

"I think we should do it, Logan."

"You...you...you can't be serious, Rory!" he shot back.

"Hey, listen to me," she answered calmly as she waited for him to come back from the edge. "Don't you ever get tired of the endless arranged introductions, the constant demands, the pressure to cave to what they want?"

"I do, and it sounds like that's exactly what you're doing as well," he answered.

"No," she said as she took a deep breath and ventured past the point of no return in the conversation. "I was actually thinking more along the lines of us agreeing to their stupid contract and using it to get them all off of our backs. I mean, yeah, we would have to be seen together and we would certainly have to be very discreet in seeing anyone else, but think about it, Logan. No more pressure to meet someone they think would be a suitable mate, no more awkward pairings, no more pressure from them. We just go out together to be seen, continue with our lives, and do some of what we do together. And in return, we get to set some boundaries and keep them at bay. We get a bit of the power back. They could hardly get angry at us for having to keep up appearances by being seen together on campus instead of attending their constant functions and events, right? According to the contract, there are only a very specific set of events that we would have to attend, far fewer than they would otherwise expect."

Logan thought for a long moment before he spoke. "That actually doesn't sound so bad," he said with a sly smile. "You, Miss Hayden, certainly have a very persuasive argument."

"There's one more thing you need to know, Logan. About the contract, that is," Rory said.

"What's that?"

"Well, when my dad and I read through the contract and the conditions of the trust funds, we found a loophole," she said meeting his gaze.

"A loophole?"

"Yes. It seems that they didn't consider the implications to your trust fund if you sign the contract but I refuse to do so."

"So you're telling me…" he said in amazement.

"I'm telling you that it's your choice, Logan. You can sign the contract and I can refuse and we can both walk away without any dire consequences. Or we can both sign the contract, keep up appearances while maintaining separate lives, and we can enjoy some leverage until you graduate. Either way is fine with me. It's your decision."


	3. Chapter 3

The room had been tense as Huntzbergers and Gilmores waited in the sitting room for Logan and Rory to return. They suddenly all snapped to attention as they saw Rory walk back into the room with Logan following on her heels.

"Son," Mitchum said as he nodded to Logan, "have you come to a decision?"

"We have. May I see the contract, please? I would like to read it for myself."

"Certainly, let's all move to the study," Richard answered.

Logan and Rory could feel four sets of eyes boring into them looking for any hint as to what was going to happen next, but they both had their society faces firmly in place and would not give any hint as to the decision that they had come to.

Logan sat in the chair across from Richard's desk and read through the entire contract for himself, as well as the copies of the trust fund legal documents that were out as blackmail. It was just as Rory had said. If he signed the contract and she refused, there were no legal or financial ramifications for either of them. He slowly placed the documents back on Richard's desk and stood, turning to meet the anxious faces of the four who considered themselves to be the masterminds behind the evening.

"Do you have any questions regarding the legal documents, son?" asked Mitchum.

"I'm so glad you asked, Mitchum. I actually do. It says that in order for me to receive my full trust fund, I must sign the contract."

"Correct," Mitchum answered. Logan could see the smug look of satisfaction in his eyes as he spoke. Oh, this was going to be even more fun than he had anticipated.

Logan took his pen out of his jacket pocket and turned back to the desk, signing his name in the appropriate space on all of the copies of the contract before turning back to the elder Huntzbergers and Gilmores.

"Oh, I should have asked before I signed," he said smugly as he glanced at Rory and saw her nod toward him in encouragement. "Mitchum, Richard, the documents all only specify that _**I**_ have to sign the contract in order to receive my full trust fund. There seems to be no legal condition laid out that dictates that my trust fund be reduced if Miss Hayden refuses to sign."

Logan enjoyed himself very much as he delivered that blow and watched as their faces paled.

"That's preposterous!" roared Mitchum.

"Is it, Mitchum? Feel free to read the documents for yourselves. Rory and I will wait in the sitting room," he said as he led her to the door. "Please, take your time. We won't go anywhere."

Rory laughed to herself as they shut the study door behind them and returned to the sitting room, now much more relaxed.

"That was a brilliant performance, Huntzberger. I do believe that you'll have an Academy Award nomination for the masterful act," Rory said as she laughed out loud this time.

"I am just so honored to be nominated," he answered as he chuckled along. "I would like to thank the lovely Rory Gilmore-Hayden, who was my muse."

Relaxing together on the couch, they heard bits and pieces of the tense conversation happening in the study.

"Are you sure about this, Logan?" Rory asked one last time as she handed him an envelope from her purse.

"Absolutely certain," he said with a gleam in his eyes.

Hearing approaching footsteps, they turned to see Richard standing in the entry to the sitting room, no doubt a strategic move on their part. It was no secret that Rory and Richard were quite close, and they were likely leveraging her emotional attachment to him by allowing him to handle the situation. "Logan, Rory, if you would please join us in the study again."

They both rose quickly and followed the patriarch of the Gilmore family into the study, looking expectantly at the four sets of flustered eyes.

After a long moment of silence, Richard finally continued. "It appears that you are correct in your previous statement. There is no legal or financial consequence that can be enforced on either of you should Rory choose not to sign the contract. With that said, we still ask that you give it your full consideration, Rory. You know that your grandmother and I only want what's best for you."

"Yes, Grandpa, I don't doubt that you are only doing what you think is best for my future by proposing this agreement. Be that as it may, I am not some material belonging to be bartered in order to gain status or leverage. I am a very successful young woman who can make my own way in the world."

"Well, of course, Rory. We never implied anything to the contrary. You know how proud we are of you. You're a remarkable young woman."

"Thank you, Grandpa. I do appreciate your kind words, even if your actions tonight betray what you just said."

"This is ludicrous," interrupted Emily. "Rory, do not embarrass your Grandfather and I! This would benefit you as well, Rory."

"Oh, I know it would, Grandma," said Rory as she reached out to accept the envelope that Logan pulled from his jacket pocket. "This could certainly be quite beneficial to both Logan and myself."

"So you'll sign the contract then?" asked Emily.

Rory took great joy in slowly opening the envelope as her grandparents and the Huntzbergers watched her with curiosity. God, this was almost too much fun.

"Logan and I have a contract of our own, actually."

"You...you what? You can't possibly be serious!"

"Now, Grandma, I would suggest you hear us out."

"I will do no such thing!" Emily spat angrily.

"Now, dear. Perhaps we should hear them out," Richard said with a pointed look at his wife. "Please, continue."

"Thank you, Grandpa. I managed to get my hands on copies of all the legal documents prior to tonight's dinner, and I took the liberty of having a new contract drawn up. It will still accomplish what you'd like to accomplish, with a few additional conditions."

"You can't be serious!" howled Mitchum.

"I'm afraid that I'm quite serious, Mitchum. Now, as you will notice, Logan and I have both already signed this contract. It only needs the signatures of the four of you in order to make it legally binding. I'm afraid that this is a take-it-or-leave-it offer. I will not be signing the original contract that was drawn up," Rory said as she handed a copy of the revised contract to each of the seething adults standing before her.

"Please, take your time and look it over," added Logan.

The four elders turned their attention to the contract, initially looking quite pleased with themselves as they saw no changes on the first two pages of the contracts. Logan and Rory stifled silent laughs as they watched the adults turn their attention to page three.

"This is ridiculous! What do you think you're doing here? Rory, I'm shocked at you. Did Logan put you up to this?" asked a furious Emily.

"No, Grandma, this is all my doing. Now, I think that the conditions that I set forth in the contract are quite reasonable. In exchange for our cooperation in this charade, we will receive one week's notice for any events that we must attend. The society events will be limited to one per month unless we specifically agree to attend additional events on our own free will. In addition, any involvement in business dealings from either Logan or myself will be limited to the circumstances listed below. There will be no pulling us from our studies and school obligations constantly for your own gain. In short, we will get to finish our college educations with as little interference as possible."

"Was this your mother's idea?" Emily asked angrily.

"No, my parents have no idea that I had this contract drawn up. Now," Rory said holding out a pen, "it's your move."

Exchanging defeated looks, Mitchum and Richard reached in their jacket pockets to retrieve their pens as Emily and Shira took the pens that Logan and Rory offered them. No one said a word as they each took their turn signing the individual copies of the contract.

Picking up a copy of the signed contract for himself, one for Rory, and one for the lawyer, Logan walked toward the door.

"It's been a pleasure, everyone. Now, if you'll excuse my girlfriend and I, we must be getting back. After all, the night is young, and Friday night is certainly a prime date night for a young couple such as ourselves."

"But Rory's car won't be here for another half hour!" objected Emily.

"Not to worry, I'm more than happy to drive my girlfriend back to Yale with me. I have my car waiting outside. I mean, how would it look for my girlfriend and I to leave separately?" Logan said with a sly grin as he ushered Rory out of the study and to the front door.

Rory couldn't stop herself from laughing as she settled into the passenger seat of Logan's Porsche.

"Absolutely masterful!" Logan declared. "How long do you think it will take them to get over the shock of what happened?"

"It's hard to say. I've never seen my grandparents look quite so upset!"

"Your grandparents? I wish I could have videoed Mitchum! I think that may be the one time in my entire life that I've seen him unable to somehow gain control over a situation. That will go down in history," Logan replied with a laugh. "So," he continued, "where shall we go to discuss how to proceed with this agreement?"

"I'd rather not go to either of our dorms. Too much of a chance of one of our roommates hearing us. Anywhere public runs that risk, actually. Mind going to my parents' house? It's only about ten minutes away. We can go over details there before you head back to Yale to meet your friends. That's where my car is anyway."

"Sure, just tell me where to go," he replied.

Rory kicked her heels off as she entered the front door of the Hayden home with Logan behind her.

"Mom, Dad? I'm home, and I'm not alone!" Rory yelled as they walked through the foyer.

Walking into the living room, Rory and Logan found her parents sitting on the couch watching television together.

"Umm, hon, why do you have a Huntzberger with you? I thought we went over the plan for the night. Go, say no, come home, eat ice cream, watch movie. Wasn't that what we said?"

"Yeah, slight change of plans, Mom."

"What did Adolf and Ava do to you? Rory? You're scaring me here. They didn't marry you off, did they?"

"No, Mom, they didn't marry me off. Oh, where are my manners?! Mom and Dad, you remember Logan, I'm sure. Logan, my parents, Christopher and Lorelai."

"Hi, Logan. It's nice to see you again. Tell me, will we be seeing more of you?" Lorelai asked while giving her daughter frantic looks.

"Mom, everything is fine. Just relax. Dad showed me the contract as well as our trust fund documents earlier this week after you told me what was going on, and I had a little fun of my own."

"You did, did you? Tell Mommy the story!"

"Well, I found the loophole in the documents. As it turned out, the only way that Logan's trust fund could be impacted is if he refused to sign the contract. If he signed the contract and I refused, we could both walk away without penalty."

"Aw, the puppet masters must have been furious that they overlooked that detail! How did they take the refusal?"

"Oh, it gets better, Mrs. Hayden," said Logan.

"Please, call me Lorelai. Christopher and I are first-name people."

"Certainly, Lorelai," Logan replied.

"Now, spill it, daughter of mine!"

"Well, after Dad and I went over the proposed contract, I took the liberty of having a new contract drawn up by our lawyers. In exchange for our cooperation, we spelled out exactly what they could demand from us with very clear boundaries."

"You did what? Rory, you made a deal with the devil!" Lorelai exclaimed.

"No, Mom, I think the devil made a deal with me. It's all in black and white. No more pulling me to constant events and functions, no guilting me into neglecting school obligations in order to further their business, no more constant parade of potential suitors. Logan and I are seen together in public as a couple, attend a maximum of one event that they request our presence at per month, we both continue with our own lives and just do what we do together enough to be seen as a couple, and Grandpa and Grandpa can't pull the strings and try to control me anymore. I make a few minor changes in my life, and in exchange I take control back from them."

Lorelai's jaw dropped and she bowed at her daughter's feet.

"I am in awe of you. Truly, the student has become the master," Lorelai quipped before she got back in her seat. "Still, sweetie, are you sure about this?"

"Absolutely sure, Mom. It's going to be fine. Better than fine, really. I've finally managed to get them off of my back."

"If you're sure, sweetie. That still doesn't explain why you brought a Huntzberger home, though. No offense, Logan."

"None taken, Lorelai," Logan answered.

"He and I just need to talk over some details and get our stories straight before tomorrow. Since the contract stipulates that no one outside of our immediate families can know of the arrangement we didn't think it was wise to have the conversation in either of our dorms or in public."

"Alright, Ror. Ice cream when you're finished?"

"Sure, Mom. Logan and I will be in my room for a bit."

"Whoa, hold on there, missy! You know how I feel about you having a young man in your room," said Christopher.

"Seriously, Daddy? It's not like he's my boyfriend!"

"Actually, it's exactly like that, young lady," said Christopher with a scowl.

"Daddy, you're being ridiculous! You do know that I live in a dorm without any parents around to keep the big, bad boys away, don't you? We're just going to talk!" Rory replied, turning her big blue eyes to her Dad.

"Oh no, Ror. Not the Bambi eyes. That's just not fair. Alright, fine," Christopher replied before turning his eyes to Logan. "But you'd better behave yourself, mister!"

"I will be a perfect gentleman, sir," Logan answered.

Seeing the look in Christopher's eyes, Lorelai quickly stepped in. "Chris, hon, why don't you go down to the basement and grab another bottle of wine? Logan, Rory's room is at the top of the stairs, last door on the right. Ror, talk to Mommy for a minute before you join Logan in your room, okay?"

Knowing that he had lost this battle, Chris left to go get wine for his wife as Logan walked up the stairs to Rory's room.

"Hey, Ror? Have you really thought this through, sweetie?"

"Oh course, Mom! I finally have Grandma off my back," replied Rory.

"You do realize that you and Logan are going to have to look like a couple, don't you? I mean, those things that you would normally do with boyfriends while in public...holding hands, kissing…"

All of the color drained from Rory's face. She hadn't thought of that at all, actually.

"I'm going to have to kiss Yale's biggest playboy. What the hell have I gotten myself into, Mom?"

"Good question, kiddo. My advice? Get it out of the way in private."

"Yeah, sure. That's smart. Okay, I've gotta go upstairs," Rory said as she turned to walk out of the living room. Stopping at the door, she turned back to her mom. "Mom, are you upset with me?"

"Of course not, sweetie. You're an adult, and I trust you. Just...keep your guard up, okay? The Huntzberger charm is legendary, as is his reputation with women. Just watch out for yourself, okay?"

"Absolutely, Mom," Rory said as she turned to go up the stairs.

 **A/N: Please leave a review and let me know what you think so far! I'm working on the next chapter right now, so it won't be long at all until the next update. As always, I will finish my story, so no need to worry over me leaving you hanging.**


	4. Chapter 4

Rory was kicking herself all the way up to her bedroom. She really hadn't thought this through well, but there was no time to look back right now. The contract had been signed and she was going to have to make the best of it. It's not like she was going to fall at his feet like other women; she was more than capable of resisting Logan's charm. Sure, he was easy on the eyes, but she hardly worried about falling for him. She preferred someone with depth, someone who could make her laugh and challenge her.

Peeking through her door, she saw Logan pouring through her book shelf.

"Find anything you want to borrow?" she asked with a grin.

"You weren't kidding about your love for books, were you?" he asked.

"No, I was not. And if you think that's something, you'll really marvel at my love for coffee. Give me a cup of coffee and a good book and I can get lost for hours."

"Is that so?" Logan asked. "Well, I will have to ensure that I keep you properly supplied with coffee when we're together. You might never come out of the library at my parents' house if I ever showed it to you."

"Is that so, Mr. Huntzberger?" Rory answered with a glint in her eyes."Now, shall we chat?"

"Sure, what's first on your agenda?" he answered with his trademark smirk.

"Well, let's get to know each other a bit better. Tell me about the friends you normally hang out with."

"My friends? Alright, there's Collin, who I've known since birth. He's a little uptight, but he would do anything for me. And there's Finn. He's a crazy Australian who has a thing for redheads. Then there's Steph. She and I have known each other for years; she's really like a sister to me. There's Robert, when I can actually stand him, and Seth and Rosemary and Juliet. And then there are a bunch more people who I know and do things with, but I don't consider to be close friends. You?"

"Hmm...my list isn't as long. Lane has been my best friend since kindergarten. She lives in Stars Hollow, which is where my mom's inn is. She's been there for me every day since kindergarten. I actually miss getting to see her more often. And then there's Paris. We met at Chilton, where she made my life a living hell. She had a crush on Tristan, and he had a crush on me. It wasn't pleasant. But somehow we eventually managed to become friends. You'll want to watch out for her; she's scary." Rory said with a laugh. "And then there's the aforementioned Tristan. I hated him when we met, but we reconnected after he came back from military school and became extremely close."

"Is there anything going on with this Tristan?" Logan asked.

"No. No, definitely nothing going on. I mean, I used to kind of have a thing for him, but that's long in the past. Now we're just great friends," she responded.

"Any boyfriend?" Logan asked.

"You mean other than you?" Rory said as she laughed. "No, no other boyfriend. I'm kind of a one-man woman, really. I dated a couple of guys in high school, but haven't really seen anyone seriously since I started at Yale last year. You?"

"Uh, no. No boyfriends for me," Logan said as he laughed.

"You know what I meant! Girlfriend?"

"No, none outside of the blue-eyed beauty sitting across from me right now," Logan responded.

"Seriously?" Rory asked as she blushed. "There's no need to turn on the charm, Huntzberger."

"Not turning on the charm, just being honest. It's one of my faults, actually. I'm always honest."

"Is that so?" Rory asked.

"Yes, to a fault, really."

"Even to all of those lady friends of yours?" asked Rory.

"Ah, my reputation proceeds me," Logan said with a smirk. "Yes, even to all of those lady friends. I am many things, but I am not a jerk. They all know where they stand before anything happens; they know that I don't do commitment or strings."

"I must say, I'm surprised and impressed that you're up front with them. So, when was the last time you did the whole commitment thing with a girl?"

"That would be right now, Rory. I've never done the whole boyfriend thing before."

"You can't be serious?!" Rory yelped.

"I'm afraid I am completely serious. It's just not my style, really."

"Then why in the world did you sign that contract, Logan? I mean, I know that we just have to make it look good, but still, it seems like it would cramp your style."

"Oh, it probably will, but I couldn't turn down the opportunity to screw with my parents. And hey, I'll get to see a lot more of you, right?" Logan answered.

"Seriously, lay off with the charm there. It'll never work on me," Rory replied.

"Is that so?" Logan asked with that trademark smirk.

Logan wasn't quite sure what he was doing, and that was definitely not normal for him. He was accustomed to having the upper hand when being around women, but something about Rory made him feel off-kilter. She didn't fall down at his feet and didn't seem to have any interest in him. He had never experienced this before, and he wasn't sure how to feel about it. It was refreshing to have an actual intelligent conversation with a woman rather than having her swoon. Perhaps this year wouldn't be so bad.

"So, tell me more about you, Rory. What do you like to do in your free time?"

"Free time? Hmm...not something I usually have a lot of. I do a lot of studying, I love to read, my parents and I have movie nights every weekend. I detest sports and exercise of any kind. You?"

"I actually also enjoy reading, although I'm certain that I don't read anywhere near as much as you do. I happen to love sports, specifically basketball. I enjoy living life, enjoying my freedom before the walls come down around me. My friends and I are at the pub most nights."

"What do you mean when you talk about walls coming down around you?" asked Rory.

Logan sighed as he considered how to answer that question. They hardly knew each other at all, but he could tell instantly that he could trust her.

"Life isn't easy at the Huntzberger heir, Rory. My entire life was planned for me before I was ever conceived. Where I would go to school, extra-curricular activities, who my friends would be, my college major, my job after college. It's all planned out, and I don't have any say in it. At least now, at Yale, I have some freedom. I get to do things my way as long as it doesn't conflict with what Mitchum and Shira want from me. Once I graduate, my choices and freedom are gone. I will have to work how he wants, when he wants. I'll be at his beck and call. I mean, hell, they probably already have my wife picked out for me. For all I know it's you."

"So your lifestyle - pushing limits, different woman every night, drinking and partying - it's really an attempt to maintain some control over your life and do something for yourself while you still can?" asked Rory.

As he met her eyes, he saw an almost sorrowful look, as if she could understand how he felt. He had seen many looks on girls' faces in his lifetime, but this one cut him to his core.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that. I don't want to be my father. I don't want to be the next newspaper mogul. I just want to be me, but that's not an option for me," answered Logan.

"So, who is that you that you don't get to be?" Rory asked.

"I don't know exactly," he replied. "I actually love writing and business. I guess it really is in my blood, but I don't want to just step into Mitchum's shoes and fulfill my family responsibilities. I want to find my own way in journalism, and to do it because I want to."

They shared a long gaze, and Logan suddenly knew that he couldn't continue this conversation. Not in this room, and not with Rory staring into his soul. He had never shared something so intimate with anyone, and it made him a bit uncomfortable.

"Well, enough about me," Logan finally said. "What did your mom have to say about this little arrangement? She didn't seem too happy to see a Huntzberger in her house."

"Huh? Oh, no. She just loves me and wants to make sure that I'm okay. She doesn't want to see me get hurt," Rory replied.

"Is that so?" Logan asked with a smile. "Well, it looks like I'll just have to win over my girlfriend's mother as well then, won't I?"

"Yeah, something like that. So, when do we make this public?" asked Rory. He thought he saw a hint of nervousness in her eyes as she asked that question.

"Umm...how about I pick you up tomorrow night at 7:00 for our first date?"

"Sure, that sounds great," Rory responded. "What should we do?"

"Not so fast there, girlfriend! I do believe that as the boyfriend I get the pleasure of planning our first official date, do I not?"

"Umm...okay. Yeah, sure. Just tell me when and where."

"I'll pick you up here at 7:00. Dress to be seen and make a splash and I'll make sure that we have the opportunity to get the word out. Sound good?"

"Sure," she answered with a hint of doubt in her voice.

"Phone?" he asked her.

"Huh?"

"Can I see your phone please?" he asked with a laugh.

"Oh, sure. Here you go," she said.

Taking her phone, he typed in his contact information and saved it in her phone before hitting the call button next to his number.

"Now you have my number and I have yours. Anything else we need to discuss tonight?"

"No, I'll see you tomorrow," she answered. "Here, let me walk you out."

He helped her up from her chair and followed her back downstairs and to her front door. He was just walking off of her front porch when her voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

"Hey, Logan?" she asked softly.

"Yes?" he answered.

"My mom...she pointed out that we have to make this believable. We're going to be expected to...act like we're boyfriend and girlfriend."

As realization dawned on him, he smiled at the now timid-looking girl standing in front of her front door. She looked so unsure of herself, a far cry from what she had looked like earlier in the study.

"Is that a problem, Rory?" he asked with a sly smile and a raised eyebrow.

"No, not a problem at all. It's just...well, it's going to be awkward if the first time that we...you know...we're supposed to be a couple, and…" her voice trailed off, and she looked so cute as she blushed.

"You know, if you want to kiss your boyfriend you just have to say so, Rory."

"Logan! That's not what I meant at all!"

"Isn't it, though?" he asked with a smirk. Before she could answer, he placed one hand on her hip and pulled her body close to his. He hovered over her lips for a moment and then slowly, tenderly kissed her until he felt her knees buckle. Wrapping his other arm around her waist, he steadied her on her feet and smiled.

"Think that will make tomorrow night less awkward?" he whispered in her ear before turning and walking to his car.

Logan arrived at the pub to meet his friends and was relieved to find a familiar scene in front of him. The entire night with Rory had made him feel a bit off-balance, and he was grateful to be back on familiar footing. And that kiss...he couldn't get it out of his head.

Clearing his head, he walked to the back of the pub to find his friends already well on their way to an inebriated state.

"There you are, mate" wailed Finn. "We thought you'd never get here!"

"Ah, but I'm here now. I see you're all having a nice time here, no?"

"Don't we always?" answered Colin. "So, everything go okay with the family obligation tonight?"

Logan knocked back his first glass of scotch and thought for a minute before answering. "Yeah, sure. It was fine."

"Mitchum his normal pleasant self this evening?"

"Something like that. I'd rather not talk about it, actually," replied Logan.

"No worries, mate. Let's find you some leggy blonde to make you forget the evening, shall we?"

Logan stopped to think for a moment. How in the world was he supposed to keep this from his best friends? They would never believe that he'd committed to any girl, much less one that he had just met.

"No, no leggy blonde for me tonight. Thanks, though."

"Did he just say what I think he said, Finn?" asked Colin.

"I think he did, mate," answered Finn. "Logan, are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, guys. It's just…" Logan paused to look around him before he continued, "It looks like it's only going to be one very specific brunette for me for a while."

"What? Have we met this woman? And one do you mean only one very specific brunette? Logan Huntzberger is Yale's most eligible bachelor!" cried Finn.

"Look, it's just...I can't go into it, okay? I'm taking her out to dinner tomorrow night and then we'll meet up with you guys."

"Are you serious?" asked Colin. "Finn, it sounds like he's serious, does it not?"

"Just drop it, okay?" uttered Logan. "I am serious, okay? Let's just say that I'm going to get daddy dearest off of my back for a while by spending time with a beautiful brunette and leave it at that, alright?"

Seeing Finn and Colin nod their agreement, Logan went to the bar to order another round of drinks. This was going to prove to be more difficult than he had anticipated.

"Mom!" Rory wailed from her bedroom. "Mommy, your offspring needs fashion advice!"

Arriving in Rory's room to find half of her closet lying discarded on the bed, Lorelai chuckled to herself.

"Everything okay, Ror?"

"No, everything's not okay, Mom! Logan is picking me up at 7:00 for our first official date and I can't decide what to wear!"

"Well, I can see from looking at your bed that you've tried on most of your wardrobe. Where are you guys going? I'm sure we can find something in one of our closets."

"I have no idea where we're going. He wanted to surprise me. He just said to dress to be seen and make a splash and he would make sure we got the opportunity to get the word out. What does that even mean anyway?"

"Calm down, kiddo," Lorelai said. "I'll be right back."

Lorelai returned to Rory's room several minutes later holding 4 dresses and a couple of pairs of heels.

"I'm just going to go out on a limb and say that you need to look very much like Huntzberger girlfriend material tonight. One of these should work. Try them on, choose one, and come down and show your dad and I when you're ready, okay?"

Twenty minutes later, Rory descended down the stairs and entered the living room with ten minutes to spare. She was wearing a red dress with a plunging neckline. The dress hugged her curves and emphasized her long legs, ending mid-thigh.

"How's this, Mom?" she asked as she entered the living room.

"No!" yelled Christopher before Lorelai could answer.

"What do you mean no, Daddy?"

"You...you look...no! That dress will only give him ideas!"

"Daddy, would you relax?! I can handle myself. I've turned guys down many times before, and I can turn him down if he tries anything, too. Geez!"

"She's right, Chris," interjected Lorelai. "She's an adult. She can handle herself. The dress isn't indecent; it just shows her best assets. I've worn that dress many times and you've never had any problem with it. In fact, I'd say you quite enjoyed it."

"I can't believe that I'm sitting here having a conversation about my daughter's assets" sighed Christopher.

"Does it look alright, Mom?"

"Turn around for Mommy so I can see the whole outfit," replied Lorelai.

Rory slowly turned in a circle to show off her outfit.

"You look amazing, sweets. Just one thing, though. You're going to need to go commando again. I see panty lines."

"Oh my God, no. I can't...no. Am I having a heart attack? Is this what a heart attack feels like? Because I swear that I'm having one right now," said Chris and he turned white as a ghost. "And what do you mean again?"

"Oh, hon, relax! She had to go commando last night, too. We can't have panty lines showing, can we?" said Lorelai. "Now, you go get rid of the offending lines while I give your father mouth-to-mouth," she laughed.

Logan rang the doorbell at the Hayden house at precisely 7:00 and was quickly greeted by a giggling Lorelai and an angry Christopher.

"Logan, come in!" said Lorelai. "Rory will be right down."

"Thank you, Lorelai. Good evening, Christopher," Logan replied.

"Don't you 'good evening' me, mister," Chris shot back.

"I'm sorry? Did I do something that I'm not aware of?" Logan asked with a confused look. He had no idea what in the world was going on.

"Don't mind Christopher, Logan. He's just having a bit of a hard time not being an overprotective daddy."

"Christopher, I assure you that I will be nothing but a gentleman to your daughter," Logan tried to reassure him.

"What are your intentions with my daughter anyway, young man?" Christopher barked back.

"My intentions?" asked Logan. "I thought that was pretty self-explanatory. This is an arranged relationship for business, nothing more."

"You see to it that it stays that way," instructed Christopher.

"Yes, sir, I will certainly do that."

Logan shifted uncomfortably in the foyer for a moment before movement at the top of the stairs caught his eye. Rory was slowly making her way down the stairs in a very flattering red dress that left very little to the imagination, and she looked stunning. The combination of the dress, the long legs, the high heels, her chestnut brown hair in loose curls, and her azure eyes had him completely mesmerized. He looked for words, but couldn't form any as he watched the beautiful woman descend the stairs.

"Cat got your tongue?" Lorelai asked, finally jolting him back to reality as Rory walked into the foyer.

"Oh, um...yeah. I'm sorry. Rory, you look amazing. Shall we?"

"We shall, Mr. Huntzberger," replied Rory. "Night, Mom and Dad! Don't wait up. Love you guys!"

Finally able to function again, Logan offered his arm to Rory and led her to the waiting limo.

"A limo?" she exclaimed. "Logan, you really didn't have to!"

"Ah, we're going somewhere to be seen, and we have to make an entrance. If I know the press like I think we do, our arrival will be all over newspapers and the internet tomorrow morning," he said as he helped her into the the car. "We're also meeting some friends after dinner, and I never get behind the wheel after drinking."

"Good call. So, where are we headed?"

"We'll have dinner at the Ristorante Italia in Hartford and then I'll check in with my friends to see where they've ended up. They are planning a night out on the town in Hartford tonight as well. I thought it might be good to go ahead and introduce you to them. Perhaps I can meet your friends this week as well."

"Sounds great. I'm starving, actually," replied Rory as they pulled up the the restaurant's VIP entrance. She looked in awe at the line of reporters who were waiting with baited breath to see who would come out of each limo as it pulled up. This place was the place to be on a Saturday night.

"How did you get reservations here so quickly, Logan?"

"Ah, there are certain benefits to being on the arm of a Huntzberger," he said with a crooked grin.

"Are we ready for this?" Rory asked as the driver pulled to the front of the line.

"It looks like we have no choice, do we?" he responded as the door was opened for him.

As he moved to the open door, he turned quickly back to her. "Rory? Just relax and sell it. You know the media. They'll never believe us if we look awkward. Pretend I'm the man of your dreams tonight."

With that, he stepped out of the limo and buttoned his jacket, taking a moment to acclimate his eyes to the flashes going off around him, and then turned back to the limo and offered his hand to Rory.

A/N: What do you think of the story so far? I just had to take the comment about Christopher and panty lines and go with it - it was too good not to!


	5. Chapter 5

Rory took a deep breath as she slid to the open limo door. She had been to enough society events to know what she needed to do once she exited the limo. She needed to look like she belonged on that red carpet with this man or the press would eat them alive. Putting her best society smile in place, she reached out and took Logan's waiting hand to help her out of the limo.

As Rory came to rest next to Logan, he placed his arm loosely around her waist and ushered her into the restaurant as flashes went off all around them capturing the first official picture of the new couple. When they entered the restaurant he was greeted by name and and they were seated immediately, despite the people who were already waiting for the table.

"Mr. Huntzberger, Miss Hayden, your waiter will be right over. Please don't hesitate to let me know if there's anything that I can to do make your evening more enjoyable," said the maitre'd as he seated the couple in a quiet corner booth and turned to walk away.

"Very impressive, Mr. Huntzberger. This will certainly get the word out," Rory said quietly as they settled into their seats.

"Ah, anything for my beautiful girlfriend," Logan replied with his dazzling smile.

"Logan, really, you don't have to -" Rory said before he cut her off.

"Nonsense, dear. In public, you are my girlfriend, and we are in public, are we not?"

"Of course," she said after a pause. "Thank you, Logan."

Honestly, she wasn't quite sure what to make of Logan's behavior. She felt comfortable around him, but she was a bit thrown off by just how easily he fell into the role of a committed boyfriend. It almost seemed as though he was sincere when he complimented her. Then there was that moment back at her house. He had looked truly awed and speechless as she had walked down the stairs to meet him.

Looking around the room, Rory saw Mayor Bradford and his wife, Senator Johnson and his wife and daughters, and several local celebrities. They were certainly in the right place to make a splash in Hartford society and be seen by the media.

Conversation flowed easily between the couple as he sipped his scotch and she sipped her martini while waiting for their meals.

"So Ace, I read your pieces in the Yale Daily News. You're a very talented journalist."

"Thank you. Which article did you read?"

"All of them," he said with a smirk.

"You read all of my articles? What? When?" asked Rory.

Logan laughed as he replied, "Yes, I read them all today. I looked them up. I thought it would be a good idea to see what my girlfriend has written. Very impressive, Ace. You'll definitely be on the short list for offers from several newspapers after graduation."

"Wow, Logan. Thank you. I...wait, why do you keep saying ace?" she asked.

"Think about it, Rory. Ace...reporter...is it becoming clear now? Seemed like an appropriate nickname for my girlfriend."

"Oh!" Rory answered with a shy blush. "Wow, sometimes I can be a bit slow to catch things. So, Ace, huh? And what should I call you?" she said with a flirty look in her eyes.

"Mmm...dashingly handsome?"

"Try conceited," replied Rory.

"You injure me, Ace," he said as he laughed. "Perhaps man of your dreams?"

"Nice try, Logan. Next?"

"How about Master and Commander?"

"The movie?" asked Rory.

"No, that's what I want you to call me," replied Logan.

"Don't hold your breath," she said with a laugh.

Logan paid the check after their delicious dinner and stepped to Rory's side of the booth to offer his hand to help her up. Taking his hand, she stood and grabbed her purse to leave.

Before turning to the door he turned to her and whispered in her ear, "Ready to go give them something to talk about?" as he opened the door for her and pulled her close to him before walking back through the VIP entrance to their waiting limo. As he opened the door to the limo for her, she turned to him with a flirtatious look and stood up on her toes, pressing her lips to his in a heated kiss and then leaning up to his ear to whisper "For the cameras, right?" before she ducked into the limo.

Logan stood there unable to think for a moment as camera flashes went off around him. Rory had just taken him completely by surprise by kissing him before she got into the limo, and it took him a moment to pull himself back together. He had kissed more girls than he cared to count in his life so far, but no kiss had ever left him frozen in time and desperately wanting more.

Finally entering the limo, he was relieved when the door shut behind him. Trying desperately not to say anything stupid, he picked up his phone and called Colin to see where the group had landed for the evening so they could meet up. After giving the driver instructions, he sat back in his seat and closed his eyes for a moment in silence before Rory spoke.

"Logan? You okay there? You look a little...off."

"Of course, I'm good. I just have a bit of a headache, that's all. I'll be fine," Logan replied.

"You know we don't have to do this, right? We can end the night now if you'd like."

"No way, Ace! My head is feeling better already, and we're pulling up to the club now. I'm good, I promise. Shall we?" Logan asked as he stepped out of the limo and offered his hand to Rory.

Placing his hand on the small of her back after he helped her out of the limo, he led her to the front of the line and gave his name to gain immediate entrance to the busy club. As he gave his eyes a moment to adjust to the lighting inside the club, he saw his friends at a booth in the back corner enjoying drinks.

"Ah, there's the group! Come on, Ace, I'll introduce you to my friends," said Logan as he took her hand and lead her to the waiting group.

"Logan!" squealed Steph as she ran to hug him. "There you are! We thought you'd never get here. And who is your friend here?' she asked eyeing Rory.

"Steph, this is my girlfriend, Rory. Rory, this is one of my oldest friends, Steph."

"So this is the lovely lady who tamed the elusive Logan Huntzberger, huh? Tell me, Rory, how did you do it?" Steph asked.

"Oh, it was nothing, really. Perhaps you should let Logan tell you the story," Rory replied, suddenly unsure of herself.

Before Logan could open his mouth to answer, Colin and Finn were suddenly at their side as well.

"Oh my, who is this vision before me?" Finn asked as he knelt next to Rory and kissed her hand.

"Finn, meet Rory, my girlfriend. Rory, this crazy Australian is Finn." Turning his attention to Colin, he continued the introductions. "Colin, this is Rory. Rory, Colin."

Logan stood there for a moment watching Rory banter back and forth with his friends, looking quite at ease in the group. Not just any woman could hold her own in this somewhat crazy group, but she seemed to be a natural. He felt some of the tension and uncertainty that he had felt earlier evaporate as he took in his new normal - his girlfriend talking with his friends.

Nodding his head in approval, Logan leaned in to Rory's ear. "Drink, Ace?" he asked.

Without losing her place in the spirited conversation she was having with her friends, she smiled back at him and placed her hand on his arm briefly. "How about a margarita?"

Logan simply nodded to acknowledge her request and headed to the bar to get the next round of drinks. As he waited at the bar, he took in the scene around him. There were people dancing and drinking all over the club, but what struck him most was seeing the beautiful woman standing there captivating his friends as she spoke. She looked so full of life and joy in that moment, and he found it absolutely irresistible. Suddenly it was very clear to him that acting like her boyfriend was going to come very naturally; he wanted nothing more than to be close to her again.

Logan returned to the table smiling and placed the tray of drinks on the table before placing Rory's margarita in her hand and lightly kissing her cheek. As everyone else grabbed their drinks from the tray, Steph raised her glass.

"A toast! To the woman who managed to tame Logan Huntzberger!" she said with a laugh, and Logan watched Rory laugh as she raised her drink to her lips.

"To new friends!" Rory said, prompting them all to raise their glasses again and drink.

Sitting back down in the booth, they all began talking animatedly, asking how the new couple had met. Rory turned her Bambi eyes on Logan, a silent plea for him to answer the question, and he had to laugh at how easily she had convinced him to take the lead. He slowly sipped his scotch before answering them all.

"It's actually a funny story - one I wouldn't believe if I hadn't been there myself," he answered as he dropped his arm around Rory and pulled her close to him. He was a little surprised as she relaxed into his body and placed her head lightly on his shoulder for a moment before picking her drink back up and downing the remainder.

"Ace and I were shanghaied by my parents and her grandparents at a dinner function. It's really quite comical, actually. They were determined to make the introduction and encourage the two of us to get to know each other, which normally I would resist wholeheartedly, but between her stunning good looks, her quick wit, and the way she left my father speechless when she didn't bow to his wishes, I knew that I had to have this incredible woman in my life," he finished, taking care to look in his girlfriend's beautiful eyes as he finished the story before he bent to kiss her lightly.

"Aw, that's so sweet!" Steph cooed.

"I'm speechless, Huntz. I mean, obviously, you have impeccable taste in women. She's gorgeous. But I never thought I would see the day that you would settle down," Colin said. Logan couldn't help but notice Rory blushing as Colin spoke, and he thought it was absolutely adorable.

"More drinks?" Finn asked looking around the table. Seeing nods of approval, he left to walk to the bar and order drinks.

"Doing okay, Ace?" Logan whispered into her ear quietly.

She simply nodded before taking another drink from Finn and downing it quickly.

"Rory, we have to dance! Can I steal your girlfriend to dance with me, Logan?" cried Steph.

"Of course, as long as Ace would like to dance," he responded. He slid out of the table and helped her up, silently appreciating again just how amazing she looked.

"Save me a dance?" he asked.

"Of course," she replied with another blush.

As the girls headed out to the dance floor, Colin, Logan and Finn leaned in to talk.

"Do you think she would wear a red wig and let me take her out, mate?" Finn asked with a laugh.

"I don't know, Finn. You'll just have to ask her yourself," chuckled Logan.

Turning their attention to the girls as they danced, Logan couldn't help but notice the number of men who were currently eyeing the pair. It made him feel both gratified seeing the reaction that other men had to the woman on his arm and slightly protective of her. He continued to glance her way as the boys talked during the next few songs, noticing the way she moved her hips and seemed to lose herself in the music. Where so many women were obviously trying to be seductive when dancing, she seemed to just be enjoying herself on the dance floor, oblivious to the men around her slowly moving closer to her. With a sigh, he finished his scotch and sat the empty glass on the table. He wasn't sure what he was feeling at the moment, but he knew that he wanted to be the one dancing her.

"Gentlemen, I think I'm going to go dance with my girlfriend before someone else does," he said as he stood up from the table.

Walking over to Steph and Ace, he placed his hand lightly on Ace's back. "Mind if I cut in, Steph?"

"No, not at all! I'll go drag Finn or Colin out here. You two lovebirds dance!" she answered as she turned back to the table.

Logan placed his hands on Rory's hips and turned her to face him, intoxicated by the way she swayed and moved under his hands as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Fighting with himself for a moment, he finally spoke.

"Having fun, Ace? You certainly seem to be enjoying yourself out here on the dance floor. You do realize that half of the straight males in this club are watching your every move, don't you?" he said with a laugh, his eyes playful.

"What? No, they're not...no. I'm just dancing," she responded as she blushed.

"I have no doubt that you're just dancing, but it's quite mesmerizing," he whispered into her ear, his voice husky.

"You sound jealous there, Huntzberger," she teased.

"Me? No, Logan Huntzberger doesn't do jealous," he shot back.

"No? I thought the illustrious Huntzberger didn't do girlfriends either?" she said with a sly smile.

"Aw, you have me there, Ace. Jealous? No. Girlfriend? Apparently that I can do."

"And you're doing such a wonderful job of it, too," she replied as she moved further into his arms and placed her head on his chest as their bodies moved together.

Looking down at the woman in his arms, he had to wonder what in the world she was doing to him.


	6. Chapter 6

Rory thought for certain that time stood still as she swayed in Logan's arms in the club. She couldn't help but notice how she just fit into his arms, and the smell of his cologne was intoxicating. She kept reminding herself that she was with an infamous playboy, but that didn't stop her from enjoying being close to him. She could definitely see why he was so popular with the ladies. He was kind and attentive, incredibly handsome, and she loved being around him and bantering back and forth. She was brought back to reality by the sound of her name.

"Rory?" asked Logan.

"Hmm?" she asked without opening her eyes, her head still resting on his chest.

"I umm...well...can I kiss you?"

She looked up at him and saw vulnerability in his eyes. Rather than answering, she moved her body flush with his and placed her hands on the back of his head. Looking in his eyes for a few more seconds, she placed her lips against his and kissed him, first tentatively before deepening the kiss. When they finally pulled away, he placed his forehead against hers and hugged her closer. Finally pulling herself back together, Rory spoke first.

"Sorry about that, I just…"

"Hey," Logan interrupted. "You never have to apologize for kissing me, Rory. Okay?"

"Yeah, okay," she replied. "Hey, Logan? Want to get out of here and go somewhere quiet?"

"Sure, Ace," he said with a sparkle in his eyes.

"Oh my gosh, that came out wrong. I didn't mean it like THAT. I just thought we could go somewhere and get away from everything and talk."

"Ace," Logan said as he laughed, "I didn't think you meant it like that. I would love to go somewhere and talk. Where to?"

"My house? My parents won't mind. I don't really want to go all the way to Yale."

"Sure, let's go tell everyone goodbye and we'll get out of here," Logan said as he took her hand and lead her back to the table. They bid his friends goodbye, all of his friends giving Rory an embrace and welcoming her to their group, and Steph making her promise that they would go shopping together, before he lead her out to the waiting limo.

The drive back to her house was quiet. Logan had put his arm gently around her shoulders and she let her head rest on his chest during the short trip home.

Lorelai and Christopher were sitting in the kitchen enjoying pie and coffee when they heard the front door open, and Rory and Logan walked in the house.

"Mom, we're home!"

"In the kitchen, kiddo!" Lorelai yelled back.

The young couple walked in the living room, Logan's arm draped loosely around her waist. This small gesture wasn't lost on Lorelai. She knew that they would have to keep up appearances in public, but this wasn't public.

"You guys want to join us for pie, sweetie?" asked Christopher.

Seeing Logan's nod to her, she went to the counter to dish out pie.

"Peach or apple, Logan?"

"Surprise me, Ace. Are coffee cups in the cabinet over the coffee maker?" he asked before proceeding to the coffee pot, removing two cups from the cabinet, and pouring coffee. They each returned to the table and sat down next to each other, seemingly unaware of the picture of comfort and ease that they had just been, each taking care of each other as if it were the most normal thing in the world. Lorelai couldn't help but exchange a curious look with her husband as it all played out in front of them.

"So, tell me all about the official first date for Hartford's newest power couple," Lorelai said.

"Oh, it was great, Mom. Logan took me to Ristorante Italia and we had a wonderful dinner and drinks. Then we went to a great club downtown and I got to meet all of his friends and enjoy some dancing. It was a fantastic first date!" said Rory.

"Aw, good job getting brownie points there, blondie. Italian food is always a winner with my girl," said Lorelai.

"I hear you're a fan, too, Lorelai. Maybe we could all go out for Italian food soon?" Logan replied.

Exchanging another round of raised eyebrows with her husband, Lorelai decided it was time to chat with her daughter for a moment.

"Hey, Ror? Do you want to change into something more comfortable? I'll run up to your room with you, and I'm sure Logan and your dad could talk shop for a few minutes," she said, giving her daughter a look that told her it wasn't really a request.

"Umm...sure. Logan, you'll be okay?" asked Rory.

"Of course, I'll be right here when you come back," he said.

Finally arriving in Rory's room, Lorelai shut the door and went to Rory's dresser, grabbing a pair of Yale sweatpants and a Yale t-shirt.

"Here, you put these on and spill, little girl."

"Spill what, Mom?"

"Umm...what's going on with you two?"

"Mom, I think you're very well aware of what's going on between us. We're dating for show."

"No, I don't think that's it. Rory, what's going on? You two look much more comfortable with each other tonight than you did last night, or even before dinner."

"I don't know, Mom," said Rory. "It's...I mean, it's all an arrangement, right? A contract. Nothing more."

"Keep talking, sweets," said Lorelai.

"Well, you know how you said that I probably shouldn't let our first kiss be in public?"

"Yes, Mommy remembers that conversation well."

"I kind of fumbled around the subject and mentioned it last night when I was walking him out, and he kissed me."

"Do tell, kiddo! Was it awkward? Mommy wants details!"

"No, it actually wasn't awkward at all. It was...it was really nice. It actually made my weak in the knees, Mom."

"Which brings us to whatever happened tonight after you guys left for the date, I assume?"

"Yeah. So before we got out of the limo, he said something about relaxing and making it believable. He was such a gentleman, he helped me in and out of the car, he had his hand in the small of my back as we walked, he held my hand in his while we were talking over drinks. And I don't know what came over me, but I kissed him before we got into the limo. Just trying to make it look good and do what I thought a real Huntzberger girlfriend might do."

"It sounds like you guys are just trying to keep up your end of the contract, sweetie."

"And then there was the club, Mom. I haven't told you about that yet. I was dancing with Steph, one of his friends, and he cut in. He held me, pulled me close to him, and we danced together. And I liked it, Mom. He held me close, and I loved it. And then he asked me if he could kiss me, and I just reached up and kissed him. It was tentative at first, but then it wasn't, and I liked it, Mom. I really liked it. And now I'm all confused. I mean, what the hell have I gotten myself into? Am I falling prey to Yale's biggest playboy? I'm smarter than that, aren't I? I mean, it's been so long since I've really had anything more than the occasional first date, and obviously those didn't feel this intense because they were just getting to know each other. I feel like I've been thrust deep into boyfriend land, and I did it to myself."

"Oh, sweets! Come to Mommy," Lorelai said, taking her daughter in her arms.

"What do I do, Mom? I mean, this isn't how I thought Yale's biggest playboy operated, and I don't know how to respond."

"Have you talked to him, sweetie?"

"What am I supposed to say, Mom?" asked Rory. "Hey, I know that we're fake dating, but I need to know your intentions."

"Just talk to him and try to set some ground rules, okay? See if you guys can lay out a plan and be honest with each other about whether or not this is all business, okay?"

"Sure, Mom. Shall we go back to the guys?"

Logan had actually enjoyed talking with Christopher while the girls were gone, much to his surprise. Conversations with his parents were always tense and full of expectations on everyone's parts, and it was refreshing to sit at a table over coffee and have a pleasant conversation. It was obvious that Christopher was crazy about his wife and daughter.

As he saw Rory coming back down the stairs with her mom, Logan moved to the coffee pot and brought it to the table to refill coffees before placing it back in the coffee maker.

"Are you comfortable now, Ace?" he asked with a smirk.

"Much more comfortable. Care to take our coffees to my room to chat?"

"Rory," said Christopher with a warning tone.

"Chris, it's fine," said Lorelai as she put her hand over his and looked at him pointedly.

"Sure, let's go, Ace," Logan said as he picked up his coffee.

Finally in her room, they sat on her window seat in silence for a few minutes before Rory broke the silence.

"So, uh...my Mom suggested that maybe we try to find some ground rules to help us both stay sane."

"Am I already driving you looney?" Logan said with a laugh.

"No, nothing like that at all. It's just...God, this is awkward. What the hell did I get myself into?"

"You okay there, Ace?" asked Logan.

"Yeah, it's just...well, I had thought about having to look like a couple at society events and stuff like that, but I didn't consider things like tonight."

"Things like tonight?" he asked. Franky, he was confused by tonight too and confused by this conversation, but he wanted to see where she was going before he gave up any info.

"Yeah. It's been awhile since I've done the boyfriend thing, but even with that, tonight felt an awful lot like what I remember of it."

"Isn't that what it's supposed to be?" he asked.

"Well yeah, it's supposed to be like that in public, Logan, but what's with that dance, and the kiss in the club, and and your arm around me in the limo and walking into the house? I mean, I'm not complaining, but I just need to know for sure where we stand. I know that this is all supposed to be a ruse, but parts of it feel very real right now. I feel like I just went out on a first date, and I don't know what to think about that, okay? And now I sound like some clingy psycho girl. God, I'm pathetic!"

He looked up at her to see that she was blushing and looking at the ground awkwardly.

"Hey, look at me, Rory," Logan said as he placed his hand under her chin and tipped her head up so her eyes met his.

"This isn't just awkward for you, okay? I'm a little confused by this as well. That thing you said earlier about being jealous? Maybe I sort of did jealous tonight. I mean, you're stunningly beautiful, Ace. I enjoy talking with you. I love that you can hold an intelligent conversation. I had a really nice time with you at dinner. And then there was that dance and the kiss...whatever that was, whatever you felt...it was real, Rory. I felt something, too."

"What does that mean, though?"

"I wish I knew, Ace. I really wish I knew."

"Yeah well, we've got 18 months of this ahead of us, so we'd better figure this out and set some ground rules."

"I'm listening," Logan said.

"Physical contact is a given since we have to look like a couple, but anytime we're not in public I need to know that you're being honest with me. I need to know that I'm not a pursuit, not a conquest. If you're thinking that you can turn on the charm and add another notch to your bedpost, think again."

"Hey, Ace. I don't think that at all. Please don't take this personally, because it's actually a compliment, but you're not the type of girl I would pick up in a bar, go back to your place for fun, and sneak out of the room in the middle of the night. Okay?"

"I'm not?" Rory asked.

"No, you're not. You're just not that kind of girl, I can tell."

"So what kind of girl am I, Logan?"

"Remember what I told you last night about always being honest with women? About them always knowing where they stand?"

"Yeah, I remember that," Rory said.

"I'm just going to be honest, Rory, and trust me when I say that this conversation is not one I've had before. You're better than that. You're the kind of girl who deserves to be with someone who really cares about you, someone who takes care of you."

"Logan, please. You don't have to say that."

"No, I don't, but in just 24 hours of knowing you I can tell you that it's true."

"Which leaves us where?" Rory asked.

"Let's give it two weeks, okay? Two weeks of getting to know each other better and spending time together and seeing how things go between us and then we'll talk again and clarify our relationship, okay?"

"On one condition, Logan."

"One condition, huh? Let's hear it."

"During those two weeks, no other women. I need to know that during those two weeks, whatever I see from you is real."

"Then I have one more condition, Ace."

"I think it goes without saying that there will be no other men, Logan, but sure. I'll agree to that."

"That actually wasn't what I was going to say, but I'll take that as well. During that two weeks, I want you to know that whatever you see from me has no ulterior motives, so sex is completely off the table."

"I didn't realize sex was on the table in the first place, Huntzberger," Rory said with a laugh.

"It wasn't on the table, really. It's just that I want you to know that during those two weeks, if I kiss you or touch you when we're alone together, it's just because I enjoy it. It's not some lame attempt to get you in bed, okay?"

"Okay, you've got it. Two weeks. Wait, did the great Logan Huntzberger just commit himself to two weeks without sex? Someone alert the press!" Rory said with a laugh.

"Yes, I think I just did," Logan said as he laughed with her.

"Whatever will you do to fill all of your free time, playboy?"

"I might just attend a few classes and make an appearance in the newsroom, Ace."

Conversation flowed easily again after that awkward conversation was out of the way, and the two talked until the wee hours of the morning getting to know each other. He was amazed by how much they had in common. They talked endlessly about favorite books and movies as well as favorite vacation places until they were so tired that they were both laughing constantly.

"Ace, I think it's time that I head back to my place and get some sleep and let you get your beauty rest as well."

"Do you have to? I'm really enjoying myself, although bed does sound good."

"Yes, I have to. Want to have lunch tomorrow, just the two of us? We could go someplace quiet instead of doing the whole "being seen" thing."

"Yeah, lunch tomorrow would be good."

"Okay, good. Will you be here or back at Yale?"

"I'll meet you back at Yale and we can go from there? I'm in Branford, 24B."

"It's a date," Logan said, and he couldn't help but smile knowing that he'd see her again so soon.

"I'll walk you out again."

Without thinking, he reached over and took her hand, lacing their fingers together, as they left her room and walked to the front door in silence.

As they walked out the front door, he pulled her close and held her for a moment before leaning down and kissing her on the cheek.

"I'll see you soon, Ace."


	7. Chapter 7

Rory was awakened far too early morning when he cell phone seemed to take on a life of its own. Finally resigning herself to the fact that the caller wasn't going to let up until she answered, she picked up the phone.

"What?"

"Good morning to you too, Mare. Rough night with your new boyfriend? Because I have to say, you two look quite cozy in the pictures."

Rory could hear the sarcasm and hurt evident in Tristan's voice.

"I'm so sorry, Tris. I should have called you."

"Yeah, you should have. What happened anyway? Last we talked I thought you had said you were going to say no and stay away from Huntzberger."

"It's complicated, honestly. I'm so sick of my grandmother constantly trying to set me up with society boys that she deems appropriate and pulling me away from my life to deal with business that someone else could easily take care and demanding my presence at events, so I turned the tables. I signed the contract after they signed a second contract that I had drawn up that gives me some freedom and gets me peace."

"Please tell me that you're not actually into this guy, Mary."

"No. Well, ugh! That's complicated, too."

"Mare, he's a player. It's as simple as that."

"Are you sure about that Tris?"

"Completely sure. Please tell me you're not falling for his charm."

"No. It's just...well, we went out last night, and I had a great time. What you saw in the pictures - that was all for the camera, to keep up our end of the contract. But in private, he's...different. I really enjoy talking with him. And then there was the dancing, and that kiss."

"You need to get a hold of yourself, Mare. Remember everything you said about me when we met at Chilton? It's all true of him plus some. He's an arrogant playboy. Trust me. I know his type."

"He asked me to give him two weeks, Tris."

"Two weeks for what? To get you into his bed?"

"No, two weeks to get to know him. There was something there, Tristan. I don't know what it was, but I want to find out."

"You can't be serious, Rory. He'll have you in his bed within two weeks. That's what you'll find out."

"No, he won't have me in his bed within two weeks. I'm not that kind of girl, Tristan, and you know that."

"I thought I knew that, but you have me questioning what I know about you right now. You may not be that kind of girl, but he's that kind of guy."

"Tris, can't you just listen to me? I've been there for you through every relationship you've had. Don't I get that from you as well?"

"Fine. How about I drive up and we have dinner tonight?"

"You would do that? That would be perfect!"

"You know I'd do anything for you, Mare. I'll pick you up at 6:00. Sound good?"

"Thank you, Tris. You're the best! Umm...Logan wants to meet my friends. Could we meet up with him for drinks after dinner?"

"Sure. Just don't expect me to welcome the guy into the family, alright?"

Rory was tired from staying up late and being woke up far too early for her taste when she walked into her dorm at 10:00 to settle in and get ready for lunch with Logan. No sooner had she opened the door, she heard Paris's angry voice.

"Gilmore! Care to tell me what the hell this is?" Paris boomed as she threw the newspaper at Rory.

"Good morning, Paris. I missed you, too. I hope your weekend has been good so far. Now, if you'll excuse me," Rory said while walking to her bedroom door.

"Not so fast there. You're not ducking out of this conversation that easily. I want an explanation, and I think you owe me that much."

"It's complicated, Paris," Rory said as she sighed loudly. At this moment, she didn't know how in the world she had thought that she could keep the business nature of this arrangement a secret from her friends, and then there was the additional issue of whatever it was that was lingering between she and Logan.

"I'm a smart woman. Try explaining it, Rory," Paris barked back.

"His parents and my grandparents introduced us at dinner Friday night, we really enjoyed spending time together, and now we're dating."

"That's it? I have a feeling you're holding out on me, Gilmore! You do know his reputation, don't you?"

"Yes, I am well aware of his reputation, Paris."

"Hmm. And you're still going to see him?"

"Yes, I'm still going to see him."

"Please tell me that he hasn't…"

"No, Paris! God, no! It isn't like that, okay?"

"Well, with his reputation I could only assume that you two did the deed."

"There has been none of that, I assure you!"

"Okay then. But Rory? Just...watch out for yourself, okay? I don't want to see you get hurt."

"I promise I will, Paris."

A moment of awkward silence passed before Rory began to move toward her room again.

"I have to get ready, actually. He's taking me to lunch. Tris is driving up for dinner tonight, and I was going to see if Logan was available for drinks after dinner. He wants to meet my friends."

"Is that supposed to be an invitation?" Paris said with a laugh that broke all of the tension in the room.

"Yes, Paris. That's an invitation. Would you like to join us for drinks after dinner?"

"Sure, I would love to."

Having settled her plans for the evening with her friends, Rory quickly disappeared into her bedroom to get dressed for her lunch date with Logan. Deciding to go casual, she pulled on her favorite pair of jeans that fit like a glove and a deep blue shirt before curling her hair lightly and putting on her makeup. With half an hour to spare, Rory grabbed a book and settled into the couch with a cup of coffee to read until Logan arrived.

At 11:00 on the dot, there was a knock on the door. Rushing to the door to beat Paris, Rory opened the door to find Logan standing there holding a cup of coffee, wearing faded jeans and a black shirt that was just snug enough to show his toned stomach and chest. She had to admit that he looked good.

"Hey, you! Let me get my shoes from my room and I'll be ready to go,"

"Sure thing, Ace. For you," he replied holding out the cup of coffee.

"Thank you! You didn't have to do that, Logan," she said as she took the coffee gratefully and took a drink.

"Huh-uh, Ace. Remember what I said last night? I brought the coffee because I wanted to. Now, shall we?"

Rory placed a quick peck on his cheek before running to grab her shoes. She grabbed her purse and phone and headed to the door.

"Let's go, Mac."

"Mac? Have you confused me with your other boyfriend, Ace?" Logan said with a sly grin.

"Nope, no other boyfriend here, Mac," Rory said as she smiled up at him.

"And again the nickname. What am I missing here?"

"I don't know, Master and Commander, what are you missing here?"

It was Logan's turn to laugh now. Dropping his arm around her waist and pulling her close to his side, he shut her door and led her toward his car.

"I think this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship, Ace," he said, still laughing.

"Think so, do you, Mac?" Rory said with a flirtatious grin.

"Yeah, I do. So, burgers okay with you?"

"Oh, you do know the way to my heart, Huntzberger. First you bring me coffee and now you're taking me out for burgers. I must be the luckiest girl in the whole world right now," Rory said with added dramatic flair

"And here I thought I was the luckiest guy in the world to have you on my arm," Logan said with a grin as he opened the passenger door of his Porsche for her.

"Seriously, do you always turn on the charm like this around the ladies, Logan?" she asked as she stepped in.

"Nope, just for you, Ace," he said with a smile as he closed her door and walked around the car to his own door.

Logan couldn't help but steal glances at Rory as he drove the ten minutes to lunch. She kept biting her lower lip as if deep in thought, and he thought it was the cutest thing he'd ever seen. He was brought back to reality by her voice.

"So, was your morning anywhere near as interesting as mine? Because mine has been a circus. It appears that we did a very good job of getting the word out," Rory said with a laugh.

"Is that so, Ace?"

"Yep. I was woke up way too early this morning by Tristan calling to ask what was going on after he saw the pictures in the paper, and then Paris threw the paper at me and went off on an incredibly loud tirade the minute I walked into my dorm."

"Uh-oh. Trouble in paradise so early?"

"Let's just say that they were both incredibly surprised and hurt because they didn't hear it from me first. I should have anticipated their reactions."

"Surprised and hurt? Anything else?" Logan asked. He hadn't known her for long, but he could tell that there was more that she wasn't saying.

"Umm...no. I mean, they just don't want to see me get hurt."

"And they're afraid that I'll hurt you?" Logan asked with a frown.

"Well, yeah."

Logan thought on this for a minute as he pulled into the parking lot at the local burger joint. He should have seen this coming, but he didn't. He knew he had a reputation that made him look like a womanizer, and while he had certainly earned part of the relationship, he wasn't as bad as everyone made him out to be. He finally broke out of his thoughts to continue the conversation as he put the car in park.

"Are you afraid that I'll hurt you, Ace?"

The silence in the car was deafening as she sat there and bit her lip more.

"Not when we're together. When we're together, I know that I'm seeing the real Logan. But then when someone brings up your track record with women, I start to doubt myself."

"Hey, look at me, Rory," Logan said as he tipped her chin up to meet his eyes. "We have to make it through a year and a half of being together, whether or not we decide that we're interested in an actual relationship. I promise that I will do everything I can to make sure that I don't hurt you, okay? I'll be honest with you, even when you may not want to know the truth. Regardless of what we decide about us, we're going to be in each other's lives for a while. I don't want that to be awkward anymore than you do, okay?"

"Okay. And thank you. I really do believe you, Logan. And I will be honest with you as well," Rory said, finally smiling.

Unable to resist any longer, he moved his hand to her cheek and leaned in and kissed her gently, immediately feeling intoxicated by the feel of her lips. Quickly composing himself, he ended the kiss, got out of the car, went around to open her door and offered his hand to help her out.

Rory was determined to just ride out whatever it was that she was feeling when she was around Logan and enjoy her lunch with him. She ignored the urge to make a pro/con list or to overanalyze everything that was said or wasn't said and she willed herself to relax and have fun.

She loved the way that Logan reached across the table and gently stroked her hand as they waited on their burgers, the way he had tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear before they sat down. She loved that they were able to have an intelligent conversation about current events and journalism. She loved the spark in his eyes as they disagreed and verbally sparred with each other. This was perfection. There was no pretense, no need to appear to be something that they weren't yet. It was just the two of them enjoying each others' company, and it felt so right.

"I must say that while I enjoyed last night very much, this is more my style," she said after they had finished their lunches.

"Mine, too. I know that putting in public appearances will be a huge part of this thing, but this is what I really enjoy. By the way, thank you for meeting my friends last night. You seem to have won them over. I think Finn might be a bit jealous, actually," Logan replied.

"Finn is definitely something else," Rory said with a laugh. "Hey, speaking of friends, Tristan is driving to New Haven tonight for dinner, and after dinner he and Paris and I are going out for drinks. Want to meet us?"

"Are you sure you want me intruding on your time with your friends, Ace? I mean, I'd love to meet them, but I don't want to get in the way."

"No, you definitely won't be in the way! Actually, I had hoped you'd be available. They'd both like to meet you, and maybe it will get them off my back at least somewhat."

"Then absolutely, I would love to meet you guys. Just let me know where and when and I'll be there," Logan said. "So, do you have to get back right away to get ready for your dinner date?"

Rory could swear that there was a hint of jealousy in his eyes when he said that.

"No, not at all, on both counts. It won't take me long at all to get ready for dinner, and tonight is not a date at all. Tristan and I are just friends, nothing more."

"Good then. Want to go for a walk downtown then?"

"A walk?! What kind of girl do you take me for, Huntzberger? Gilmore girls don't exercise!"

"Even if I promise that we'll stroll slowly? I'll let you set the pace," Logan said as he stood up and offered his hand.

"Well, if you're sure it won't look too much like exercise. I wouldn't want a scandal or anything," Rory replied with a laugh as she laced their fingers together to set out on their stroll.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: You guys completely blow me away with your reviews and comments. Thank you SO much for taking the time to let me know that you're enjoying the story! It totally makes my day. I'm so sorry that this update took so long; I had some major writer's block going on.

Logan found himself anxious and restless as he sat at his apartment after dropping Rory off from their lunch date. They had managed to stretch lunch into a long stroll and spent time browsing downtown shops and talking on benches over coffee, and he had gotten her home just in time to change for her dinner with Tristan. Just the thought of her sitting at dinner with another man made Logan tense, even if it was her best friend. As he thought about her, he couldn't understand how any man could be around her and not want more. She was gorgeous, intelligent, witty. He was normally the type to stick around just long enough to get what he wanted from a woman, but he found himself wanting to spend as little time away from Rory as possible. He had never been in that situation before.

Pulled out of his thoughts by his buzzing phone, he saw that he had incoming texts from both Ace and Colin. It appeared both groups were headed to Rich Man's Shoe. Quickly texting them both back, he grabbed his jacket and keys and headed out.

He arrived at the pub to find his friends in a booth in the back, enjoying drinks and laughing, and was surprised to see that Rory and a tall blond-haired man were there with him. Quickly crossing the room, he stopped next to her.

"Hey, Ace. It looks like everyone thought this was the place to be tonight, no?" he said as he slid his arm around her waist.

"Mac! I was just introducing everyone. Mac, this is my best friend, Tristan. Tristan, this is Logan Huntzberger," Rory replied with a leery eye on the two boys. Tristan held Logan's glance for several awkward seconds before he finally offered his hand and pleasantries. Oh no, not awkward at all. After a full minute of silence, Ace's voice broke in.

"So, I'll just go grab some drinks for everyone, then? Paris should be here any minute," Rory said.

I quickly regained my senses and stopped her.

"I'll go with you, Ace. It's my treat. Do you know what everyone wants?"

The two walked off hand-in-hand with Tristan shooting a glare his way the entire time. He ordered their drinks from the bartender and pulled Rory close to him, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her forehead.

"So, one friend already seems to have a death wish for me. I can't wait to see what friend number two thinks," Logan said sarcastically.

"Hey, it's not that bad, okay? They're both kind of intense and protective, but they'll be fine once they get to know you."

"I hope you're right, Ace," Logan said as he grabbed their drinks and walked back to the table with Rory by his side.

Frankly, he had never been the type to need to be liked by friends or family. Actually, he never kept one girl around for long enough for that to even enter his thoughts. Regardless of how these two weeks went, he needed Rory's friends to like him. They were going to be together for a year and a half, no matter what.

Logan was snapped back to reality by an approaching blonde who was railing loudly about everything from how crowded the pub was to the music to the color of the walls.

"Paris!" Rory said as she greeted the blonde with a hug.

God, this seriously couldn't be happening. Between Paris with the obvious chip on her shoulder and Tristan with his death glare, this night was going to be an uphill battle.

"Paris, I'd like to introduce you to Logan. Logan, this is Paris," Rory said by way of introduction.

"Paris, it's so nice to meet you," said Logan as he extended his hand in greeting.

"Yeah, I'm sure it is. Nice to meet you, lover boy. Is that my drink?" Paris snapped back.

Wow. An uphill battle would be a walk in the park compared to this.

"Yeah, it's all yours. Enjoy," replied Logan.

They all slid into the large booth in the back as Logan completed the introductions of his friends, and fortunately the tension started to ease some as they all began chatting. Rory had snuggled in close to him with his arm around her shoulders and was rubbing tiny circles on his leg. If anything could make this night bearable, it was having her close. He found himself relaxing as they settled in and enjoyed Finn's over-the-top storytelling about recent adventures. He was definitely going to have to thank his friends for helping make this night less awkward.

Logan couldn't help but notice Rory stealing glances at the couples on the dance floor and decided to take his chance.

"Wanna dance, Ace?" he asked as he offered her his hand.

"Yeah, sure," she answered with a smile.

Logan lead her to the small dance floor and pulled her close, enjoying the break from the stories at the table and the tension-filled looks from Paris and Tristan.

"You enjoying your evening, Ace?"

"Yeah, it's nice getting everyone together. No one has caused any bodily harm yet, which is always a plus, right?" she replied with a laugh.

"Ah yes, I'm quite fond of not being maimed by any best friends," Logan chuckled.

"Your friends are really great. I enjoyed hanging out with them this weekend," replied Rory.

"That's good, because I hope you'll be seeing them a lot more," Logan replied with a hint of uncertainty and hope in his voice.

"You know, Mr. Huntzberger, I think I would like that," Rory said with a grin.

"Is that so, Miss Gilmore?"

In lieu of answering, Rory pushed up on her tiptoes and kissed Logan lightly.

"Mmm...very good answer," Logan said with a smile as he bent to kiss her again before being interrupted by an angry-sounding female.

"Mind if we cut in, lover boy?" Logan heard as he looked over his shoulder to see Tristan and Paris watching them.

"Sure, no problem. Paris?" Logan replied as he offered his hand to Paris to dance.

As they settled in with a more proper distance between them, Logan decided to try to be nice and carry on a civil conversation.

"Are you enjoying yourself this evening, Paris?"

"Cut the crap, Romeo. What are your intentions with my best friend?"

"Wow, no need for pleasantries I guess, right? Honestly, I'm not quite sure what my intentions are at this point. She's a great girl, I'm enjoying spending time with her. I'd like to see where this goes."

"Interesting. And how long have you been sleeping with her?"

"What?! I don't know what you think you know, but we're not sleeping together."

"You expect me to believe that line, Huntzberger?"

"Ask her yourself if you don't believe me, but no, we aren't sleeping together."

"So who are you bedding?"

"Excuse me? I'm not "bedding" anyone, as you put it. Is it so hard to believe that I could like the girl and want to do this right?"

"Well, given your reputation, it doesn't seem very likely. You'd better think carefully before you answer me, because I'll know if you're lying, Huntzberger."

"Look, Paris. Our families introduced us, I like Rory, I'm enjoying spending time with her, I'm not sleeping with her right now and don't intend to change that anytime too soon. She's worth more than that, obviously. I know that my reputation proceeds me, but I'm not seeing anyone else. I have no intention of hurting Rory. I promise that I'll be honest with her about where we stand. Okay?"

"Alright. I guess that's good enough for now. Just be good to her, okay?"

"I promise I will."

Tristan pulled Rory across the dance floor to give Paris and Logan some room to talk before he pulled her into his arms for a dance.

"So, he seems nice so far," Tristan began.

"He seems to be. I'm enjoying getting to know him better."

"Good. Am I the only one who knows what's really going on here?"

"You are. It's actually a stipulation in the contract that we can't tell anyone the nature of our arrangement, but I had already told you when I didn't think that there would be an arrangement."

"And you're sure about giving him this two week trial?"

"I am. What do I have to lose, Tristan?"

"I don't know, and that scares me. Just don't go making it too easy on him. If he really wants an actual relationship with you, make him work for it. Okay? We can't have him breaking your heart."

"I promise, Tris. Thank you for driving up tonight and meeting him. It's important to me."

"Ah, don't thank me yet, Mary. I'm still going to have a little talk with lover boy."

"You wouldn't?!"

"I would, and I am. Now, if you'll excuse me. I'll send Paris back to the table. Feel free to put fresh drinks for you two ladies on my tab. I promise I'll bring him back to you unharmed." Tristan said as he walked away with a smirk.

Tristan crossed the dance floor to find Paris and Logan.

"Hey, Paris. Rory's at the table waiting for you. I told her to put you ladies' drinks on my tab while I talk with Logan. We'll be back shortly," said Tristan.

"Oh, this is going to be good. Are you sure I can't watch?" asked Paris.

"Back to Rory, missy!" Tristan said as he lightly pushed her away. "Now," he said as he turned to Logan, "I think it's time we talked."

"Sure, I'm not dumb enough to think I could get away with not having the talk with her best friends, right?" replied Logan.

"Right. Let's have a seat," Tristan said as he lead Logan to a nearby table. "Has Rory told you that I know what's going on?"

"Yeah, she said she told you before she signed the contract."

"Good. And I also know about this two week "feeling things out" thing you guys are doing," said Tristan.

"Good. Listen, man, I'm just going to level with you. I don't exactly know what's going on with the two of us yet. I like her, I enjoy spending time with her, I'm not sleeping with her, and I want to get to know her better. She's going to be in my life for a while even if things don't work out between the two of us, so I will do my best not to hurt her."

"Good. She's an amazing girl, and I don't want to see her get hurt. And trust me when I say that you do not want her mad at you."

"Oh yeah?" asked Logan.

"Yeah. Hell hath no fury like a Gilmore girl scorned. It won't be pretty at all, man. I'd advise you to keep her happy at all costs. The girl loves fiercely and loyally, it's like nothing I've ever seen before. If you earn her heart and treat her right, you'll be a very happy man. But if you make her angry, your life will be a living hell."

"Thanks for the warning, man," replied Logan.


	9. Chapter 9

Rory awoke with a start the next morning, head pounding and confused by her surroundings. She slowly began to stir in the unfamiliar bed and felt an arm tighten around her waist.

"Morning, Ace," came his gravely voice before he reached down and kissed her forehead.

"Umm...morning? I'm a little confused. I thought we agreed…" she said timedly.

"Relax, Rory. You're fully clothed, I'm fully clothed. Nothing happened. You let Tristan sleep in your dorm last night and I offered to let you crash here with me. I tried to go sleep on the couch, but you asked me to stay in here with you. That's it," came Logan's reply.

"That's it?"

"That's it, Ace. I promise."

"Thank you, for letting me stay here and for being a gentleman," Rory replied as she relaxed back into his arms.

"Hey, no problem. This will probably happen a lot more often in the future, so might as well get a system down, right? It will be expected that we'll spend nights together. It's kind of typical dating behavior."

"Right, that's true. So…"

"You know this doesn't have to be awkward, right?" Logan says with a chuckle.

"Right, doesn't have to be awkward. Okay. Want to grab some breakfast? I need coffee before I can function."

"Sure. Let's go by your dorm and grab Tristan and you can change and then we can all head out to breakfast. I'm sure you'd like to see him again before he heads back to Princeton, right?"

"You know, Huntzberger, I have a feeling you're going to be very good at this boyfriend thing. You seem to have an uncanny knack for it, frankly. If I didn't know better I would swear you've had experience," Rory said with a laugh.

"I assure you, no prior experience here. You just make it easy."

"Are you calling me easy?"

"No, never. You're just...different."

"Different isn't necessarily good, Logan."

"You're right, it's not. But your kind of different is definitely good."

"What's so different? I'm just a girl."

"Nope, you're definitely not just a girl, Ace. You're a stunning, intelligent, witty woman the likes of which I've never met before."

"You know you don't have to resort to flattery, right? I mean, you've got a copy of the signed contract. I'm not going anywhere for a year and a half," she replies with a giggle.

"Ah yes, the contract. Perhaps my aim is something better than just a contract," he says as he winks at her.

As he says those words, the look in his eyes is so intense that it literally takes her breath away, and before she knows it, his lips are caressing hers with the sweetest, most tender kiss of her entire life. After a few seconds, he pulls away and sits up, leaving her momentarily dazed.

"Now, out of bed, Ace," he says as he offers her his hand to help her up. "It's time for breakfast with your boyfriend."

"Confident in yourself there, aren't you, Huntzberger?"

"For once in my life, not at all, but I do have the contract, so either way I get to call you my girlfriend, right?" he asks with a smirk.

"Alright, mister. Let's get out of here so you can feed your girlfriend," Rory replies with a laugh.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Twenty minutes later, Rory and Logan walk in her common room to find Tristan sitting on the couch, flipping through television channels.

"Morning, Tris!" Rory calls out as she walks in the room, but Tristan just looks at the two and raises an eyebrow questioningly, leaving a long moment of awkward silence before he finally speaks.

"Morning, lovebirds. Do I dare ask where you've been all night, Mare?" Tristan asks angrily.

"I crashed at Logan's. How drunk were you last night?"

"I think we were all pretty hammered, right? I mean, I could have sworn that you guys were holding off on anything physical for at least a couple of weeks, but apparently I heard that wrong if you were where I think you were all night."

"Hey, it was nothing like that! We shared a bed, completely clothed. Nothing happened, Tris," Rory responded as she crossed the room to sit down next to him. "I promise, Tris. Nothing happened. Everything is just like we told you, okay?"

"Alright, if you say so," he answers with a sigh as he wraps his arm around her shoulders and she leans into him. "What's the plan for this morning? I need to head back pretty soon."

"I'm going to go change and then we wanted to take you to breakfast before you leave. Sound good?"

"Get your cute butt in there and change so we can all go have breakfast, Mary."

As soon as Rory shuts her bedroom door, the two men look at each other tensely.

"Look, I swear nothing happened, man," says Logan with a sigh as he runs his hand through his hair nervously. "I gave her some sweats and a t-shirt to change into, I came back in the room after she changed to make sure she got settled okay with every intention of sleeping on the couch, and she begged me to stay with her. That's it."

"I know that's it. Mary's a horrible liar. She's too sweet and virginal to be good at that," Tristan replies with a laugh.

"She's a…" Logan begins, trailing off, not knowing how to ask what he wants to ask.

"No, not anymore, but she'll always be that to me. Has she told you how we met?"

"Not exactly. I've heard bits and pieces, but not the full story," replies Logan.

"She walked into her first day at Chilton and looked like the picture of virginal innocence. I immediately dubbed her Mary and started pursuing her, intent on making her another notch on my bedpost, but at some point she became so much more to me. She turned me down and resisted every step of the day, and before I knew it I had gotten myself sent off to military school. I messed up any chance I had with her at every turn because I was an arrogant asshole. I'm just grateful that we ran into each other the summer after graduation and were able to move past that and become friends."

"Wow, that's pretty intense," replied Logan.

"That might just be the understatement of the year. She's one hell of a woman. She has no idea the effect she has on men, and the men who fall for her never seem to be able to fully get over her once it's over."

"So, how long have you loved her?"

"Since the minute we kissed on the piano bench our junior year at Chilton. I've made peace with our situation, and I'm good with being the best friend. If you screw this up, though, it will be me who picks up the pieces for her and helps her put herself back together, and I can't promise that I won't pursue something more if that happens."

"Understood, man. So, how many of her exes would come running back in a heartbeat if she asked?" Logan asks nervously.

"Every damn one of them. She's like an addiction, apparently. A man would have to be crazy not to do everything in his power to make her happy. She's gorgeous, witty, intelligent, and one of the most caring people you'll ever meet."

"You're right, she is all of that," Logan replies as the door to Rory's room opens and she emerges ready for the day.

"Are you two handsome gentlemen ready for breakfast? I'll be the envy of every girl we see!" Rory says with a laugh as she walks between Logan and Tristan and takes each of their arms.


	10. Chapter 10

Rory, Tristan and Logan enjoyed a relaxed breakfast together before Tristan left to return to Princeton, and Rory insisted on returning to her room to study and work on a paper due that week after seeing him off. She spent the rest of Sunday in her dorm room hard at work, only breaking long enough to grab a cup of coffee or order takeout for dinner. She had just finished proofing an article for the Yale Daily News at 9:00 when her phone beeped with a text message.

Are you ready to come out of isolation yet? We're all headed to the pub. -L

Aw, do you miss me? -R

What can I say? I've grown rather accustomed to having you around this weekend. -L

Sure, give me fifteen minutes and I'll meet you there. -R

I'll be at your door in ten minutes to walk with you. -L

You do know that I've been walking places all alone for years, right? -R

Not the point, Ace. I'll let you go all feminist over something else, but I'd feel better if I walk with you since it's dark. -L

Alright, you win, my strong protector. Come whisk me away in ten minutes. -R

Rory rolled her eyes, giggling to herself about Logan's apparent protective tendencies, while she walked to her closet and pulled out a cute top, changing as she crossed the room. She ran a brush through her hair, slipped on her black high-heeled boots, and swiped on some mascara and lip gloss, finishing just as the there was a knock on the door. She stole a quick glance in the mirror before grabbing her purse, keys and phone and walking to the door.

"Ah, my strong protector boyfriend has arrived," Rory said with a giggle as she opened the door.

"What can I say, Ace. This boyfriend gig is growing on me quickly," he replied as he leaned in for a kiss that left Rory weak in the knees.

"Well, you are showing a rather impressive talent for it," she whispered as they pulled apart. He watched her for a minute, eyes still closed, her lips turned up in a soft smile, breathing heavily. He instinctively wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to his chest and relishing the feel of having her in his arms.

"Mmm...this is really nice," she cooed at him.

"Indeed it is. Shall we head out to the pub, or would you prefer to just hang out here?"

"You'd stand your friends up for me?" she asked as she tilted her head up to look at him.

"If you wanted to just relax here, absolutely."

"An impressive talent indeed. How about we go have one drink with your friends and then come back here?"

"Sounds perfect," he replied before moving his lips to kiss her one more time.

They slowly pulled apart and walked to the pub together, his arm around her shoulders and hers tightly around his waist. They walked in the pub to choruses of "hellos" from all of Logan's friends, who had instantly taken a liking to the beautiful brunette woman who had so obviously grabbed the attention of their blonde friend.

Rory greeted the group and excused herself to the restroom, quickly followed by Steph and Rosemary. The girls giggled and chatted in the restroom, asking Rory questions about her new relationship with Logan and dishing on their relationships before returning to the table they had left the boys at.

Rory looked up to notice an attractive blonde wearing far too little sitting next to Logan attempting to garner his attention and she immediately frowned. As she got closer to the table she could see that Logan's attention was firmly on Colin who was sitting to the opposite side of Logan rather than on the blonde attempting to get his attention. The woman reached over and placed her hand on Logan's leg, and Rory couldn't help but giggle at the audible frustrated groan from Logan as he turned and removed her hand from his leg. Deciding to take pity on him, she quickly came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, kissing him behind his ear.

"There you are, Ace," he purred. "I had just told Nikki here about you. Rory, this is Nikki. Nikki, this is my girlfriend, Rory," Logan supplied.

"It's so nice to meet you, Nikki," Rory replied as she held her hand out to greet the other woman and plastered on her best society smile.

"Sure, it's nice to meet you as well," Nikki answered with no shortage of annoyance as she took Rory's hand and shook it.

Logan watched the interaction with amusement, impressed that Rory didn't back down from the other woman. Nikki showed no signs of backing down, though.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Is this supposed to be your chair?" Nikki asked with fake concern, still not showing any sign of intending to move.

"Don't worry about it," Logan replied. "Rory's more than welcome to sit here," he finished as he gently pulled Rory around the chair and into his lap, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Now certain that Logan was trying to get rid of the blonde, Rory decided to help push the girl right over the edge.

"Oh, sweetie," she responded with a giggle, "you're so sweet." Rory wrapped her arms around Logan's neck and pulled him close to her, kissing him slowly and sensually as she ran her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck. They broke apart breathless in the midst of Finn's wolf whistles and group's laughter. Nikki had apparently stormed off during the display of affection.

"That was hilarious!" Steph cried as she laughed with tears in her eyes. "The look on her face was priceless. If looks could kill I think you'd be dead right now, Rory."

"Well, it's a good thing I have my strong protector boyfriend then," Rory shot back with a smirk in Logan's direction. She went to stand up and move into the now-vacated chair next to Logan and was stopped as he wrapped his arms around her tighter.

"Nope, you're not going anywhere, missy. I think I need you to protect me now," he chuckled. The group dissolved into more laughter as they enjoyed their drinks and broke into conversation.

Rory and Logan returned to her room an hour later, happily buzzed and relaxed, and fell onto her couch in a fit of laughter as they joked about Nikki's reaction to Rory.

"That was epic, Ace. I must say, you're a master."

"What can I say? I learned from Lorelai Victoria Gilmore-Hayden II, who is the absolute master," Rory said with a laugh.

"I think you learned well, grasshopper. Now, about that kiss…" he trailed off.

"Hmm? What about it?"

"I think I need a repeat," he whispered in her ear, sending shivers through her whole body.

"Is that so?" she asked with a coy smile. "I think that can be arranged."

She turned and slid into his lap, her knees on either side of his legs, and pulled him close. She caught his lower lip between hers, nibbling and teasing him with her tongue, and she tangled her fingers in his hair. Logan quickly responded by wrapping his arms around her and met her intensity with his kisses, first on her lips and then down her neck and behind her ear as his hands moved to her back. She moaned into his mouth as his hands found the exposed skin between her jeans and shirt, and he almost lost all self control at the sound. It had to be the sexiest sound he'd ever heard in his entire life, and he marveled at how kissing Rory on the couch was more sensual than anything he'd ever done with another woman. He slowly pulled himself back from the edge, his kisses becoming softer and less demanding, and he laughed to himself as he heard her whine when he pulled back.

"It hasn't been two weeks, Ace," he said, his voice husky and filled with want.

"And I'm supposed to care why?" she asked as she planted wet kisses down his neck.

"You know our agreement. Believe me, it's almost killing me to bring this up right now, but I'd hate myself if I didn't keep our agreement," he answered with a sigh.

"Fine," she said with a pout as she turned her body so she was sitting across his lap now and laid her head on his chest.

"You'll thank me later," Logan chuckled.

"I'm not so sure about that, mister. I was enjoying myself."

"So was I, Ace, I promise. But we need to figure out what we want before we go complicating things."

"I know, you're right. But that doesn't mean I like it."

"Neither do I, but I'll make it up to you."

"And just how do you plan on doing that?" she asked with a flirty smile.

"Copious amounts of coffee?"

"Mmm...that's a start. Not what I had in mind, though."

"What did you have in mind?" he asked.

"Just don't make any plans for a week from Saturday," she shot back.

"What's a week from Saturday?" Logan asked confused, and then suddenly it occurred to him that would be the end of the two weeks. "You sound pretty sure of yourself there, Miss Hayden," he teased.

"Let's just say that if your first 48 hours as a boyfriend are any indication, I think I'll be keeping you around," Rory said with a smirk. "Well, minus that whole no-sex rule. We'll have to work on that one."

"It's a temporary rule, Ace. We'll revise it on that day that I'm keeping open a week from Saturday."

"I look forward to it, Huntzberger," she said with a gleam in her eyes.

"As do I, Ace."

The next few days were a blur of activity, with Rory having multiple papers due and tests to study for and take. Logan had been so sweet and attentive to her, helping her study, bringing her coffee, and making sure that she didn't work herself into a frenzy. He would read or study while she did her homework and then make sure she went out for dinner or drinks to keep her from overworking herself, and she was grateful for him keeping her sane. They spent most nights together in one of their beds, talking to each other until they drifted off to sleep.

Finally on Friday after taking her last test and finishing up all of her work, Rory was relieved to be finished for the week. She was walking across campus toward her dorm and couldn't help but hear her name in a conversation between a small group of girls. Hanging back just enough to stay unnoticed, she listened to what was being said by the girls who were all looking toward the basketball courts, where Logan was a part of a group of guys playing basketball. She had to admit that he looked really good out there with no shirt and his shorts just low enough on his hips to draw attention to his chiseled abs.

"I still don't know why he's with her. I mean sure, Hayden's pretty, but she's not his normal type," came the first girl's voice.

"I don't get it either, but Nikki said that he seemed to really be into her," came a second voice.

"Still, who the hell does she think she is? Doesn't she know that we've all been waiting for our chance?" asked the first girl. "She'll never be able to keep his attention."

Rory stood there stunned for a moment, taken aback by hearing the conversation from this group of girls. It was obvious that she'd made some people quite angry just by being the girlfriend to the young Huntzberger, but hearing the things that they said made something inside her snap. She snuck back around the girls, taking care to remain out of sight until she emerged right next to the basketball court. She watched Logan play for a minute, and when they took a break he caught sight of her and smiled, walking over to her. Fueled by anger and jealousy over the conversation she had just heard, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him fiercely, and she relished feeling him melt at her touch. He pulled back breathless after a minute.

"Not that I mind, but care to tell me what that was all about?" he asked with a smirk.

"Can't a girl just want to kiss her boyfriend?" she asked with a coy smile.

"She can, but I don't think that's the fully story here. It seems like someone was trying to mark her territory," he teased her.

"It's those stupid girls!" Rory said quietly to ensure she wasn't overhead. "They were saying all these things about how other girls had been waiting for their chance with you and how they didn't understand what you saw in me, and it just pissed me off," Rory seethed. "And yes, I realize that I sound like a jealous girlfriend right now. I'm sorry."

"Hey, hey," Logan said as he pulled her closer to his chest, "you're my clingy girlfriend, so don't even think about apologizing, okay? And I wouldn't worry about what they have to say about you. I like you because you're not like them, so I would be worried if they liked you," he said as he kissed her forehead.

"I could have sworn I just heard you say that you like me, Huntzberger," she said with a grin.

"I do believe you heard correctly, Ace."

"Hmm...the next thing you know you'll be telling me you want me to be your actual girlfriend," she teased as she wrapped her arms back around him.

"Well, that is on the schedule for next Saturday," Logan smirked.

"You know, if you're already sure and I'm already sure, there's nothing saying we couldn't move that conversation up to an earlier date."

"Is that so, Miss Hayden?" Logan asked with a flirty grin.

"Mmm-hmm," Rory answered as she placed light kisses on his lips.

"And just when did you have in mind for this conversation?"

"Well, I happen to be finished for the week, and Paris has already left for the weekend, so we could move the conversation to my dorm as soon as you're finished playing basketball."

"And you're sure about your decision?" Logan asked. "Because we have to be able to be civil around each other for a long time, no matter what happens between us."

"I'm completely sure, Logan. Are you?"

"Absolutely, Ace. Give me half an hour to go shower and change clothes and then I'll be in your dorm. We can order in tonight and enjoy a quiet night in. Sound good?"

"Nope," Rory replied.

"Nope? Why not?" Logan asked.

"I think I might need a shower too, so I say we just swing by your dorm to go grab whatever you need for the weekend and then we head back to my room to shower together."

"God, my girlfriend is smart," Logan said as he kissed her again. "I like your plan better than mine, so let's go."

"I'm out, guys," Logan called to the guys he'd been playing basketball with as he took Rory's hand and pulled her toward his dorm. Neither one saw the shocked faces of the group of girls who Rory had overheard talking.

The couple walked into Rory's dorm hand-in-hand half an hour later and Rory wasted no time in locking the door behind her as they came in.


	11. Chapter 11

Rory awoke slowly the next morning and was momentarily confused to feel an arm across her waist holding her tight. She quickly remembered the events of the previous evening and smiled to herself. It had been an amazing night with Logan. The things that her boyfriend had made her feel were quite frankly unreal. She felt Logan stir against her and tipped her head up to see him.

"Good morning, beautiful," she heard him say as he kissed the top of her head.

"Good morning to you, too. What do you have planned today?"

"Other than the event we have to attend tonight at your grandparents' house, I'm completely free. I thought maybe we could grab breakfast and relax today if you're not busy?"

"Mmm...that sounds perfect. Did you sleep okay?" she asked.

"I did. You?"

"Really well. I must say, I didn't take you for the cuddly type," Rory teased.

"Well, don't let word get out. I reserve that for my girlfriend," Logan teased back as he tickled her lightly.

"Logan, stop it!" Rory squealed. The two giggled and tickled each other before things once again took a passionate turn in Rory's bedroom, and they lost themselves once again in the throes of passion. They finally rolled onto their backs, both panting and with hearts racing, and both very satisfied.

"You know, Ace, you're very good at that. I think I may have a new hobby," Logan informed her as he rolled over and pulled her close.

"You're not too bad yourself there," Rory returned.

"Not too bad? That's all I get?" he teased.

"Well, I really can't bring myself to help inflate your ego anymore than it already is, but just this once I'll humor you and give you some more adjectives. How about amazing, stupendous, incredible, and outstanding?"

"That's much better," Logan chuckled. "Now, shall we shower? I'm guessing that you're going to want food and copious amounts of coffee any minute now."

"Let's get moving, Huntzberger!" Rory called as she jumped out of bed and headed toward the bathroom. Logan chuckled to himself as he watched this woman who had captivated him and changed his life entirely in one short week and followed her to the shower to get ready for the day. An hour later they were walking hand-in-hand toward a cafe a couple of blocks from campus and enjoying the beautiful late-fall day. It was quickly approaching November, but the weather was unseasonably warm. They found a table on the outside patio and gave the waitress their orders when suddenly something else caught Logan's attention. He scooted over closer to Rory in an attempt to shield her, but it was likely too late.

"Paparazzi across the street, Ace. Just letting you know," Logan whispered to her.

"Ugh, why in the world do they think we're so interesting?" Rory exclaimed.

"The newness will wear off, but unfortunately we represent three of the most powerful families in Hartford, so we will likely always be newsworthy," Logan soothed as he rubbed small circles on her palm to calm her. "Just don't let them get to you. Go about your life and don't engage with them."

"I'll do my best. I'm just not quite used to this level of media scrutiny," Rory replied as their food was delivered. They both tucked into their meals and soon forget the photographer across the street. They enjoyed lively conversation over breakfast and lingered over coffee.

"So, Ace, what do you say you let your boyfriend take you shopping for a new dress for tonight?"

"I never took you for the dress shopping type," Rory teased.

"Well, there are a great many things that you don't know about me, my dear. I happen to have quite the eye for dresses."

"Alright, let's go!" Rory chirped happily. They walked back to campus and took Logan's Porsche across town to a boutique that Rory loved to go dress shopping at.

"Alright, let's see that talent, lover boy," Rory instructed as she sat back on a sofa near the dressing rooms.

"Mock all you want, Ace, but I will find you a dress that you love." Logan browsed the racks in silence for about ten minutes before coming back with one single dress in his hand.

"Just one, Huntzberger? You're awfully cocky there," Rory teased as she took the dress from him and looked at it. "This is a size 4; I wear a 6. You're already failing here."

"Trust me, it will fit you perfectly. Now get your cute ass in the dressing room and try it on," Logan commanded in mock outrage.

"Fine, I'll go prove you wrong," Rory retorted.

Rory walked in the dressing room and took a good look at the dress. It was a beautiful deep blue strapless fit and flare with a sweetheart neckline. She pulled the dress on and zipped it up as far as possible before cracking the door.

"Hey, can you zip me up the rest of the way?" she asked as she poked her head out.

"Sure thing," Logan replied as he zipped her up. She followed him out of the room and turned to look at herself in the large mirrors. She was stunned at what she saw. The dress danced that fine line between sexy and classy perfectly and fit her like a glove. She wasn't one to relish looking at herself in the mirror or to think she looked beautiful, but even she had to admit that this gown was perfect on her.

"What do you think?" she shyly asked Logan as she looked in the mirror. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist before kissing her on the shoulder.

"I think you look absolutely ravishing and that I'd better not leave you alone for even a minute tonight because every straight man there will be flirting with you. And I also think it's a good thing that you didn't bet against me, because I just proved that I definitely do have an eye for dresses, Miss This-Isn't-My-Size," Logan teased as he finished.

"Alright, there's no need to rub it in. Come unzip me and we'll get out of here."

Rory quickly changed back into her clothes while Logan purchased the dress for her. She had continually told him that there was no need for him to pay for the dress, but he insisted and she finally relented. They spent a lazy afternoon on campus together before getting ready for the party at the Gilmores' house. Logan left her dorm in time for them to both get ready with a promise to see her in an hour and a half. Rory took another shower and dried her hair before pulling it into an elegant chignon at the nape of her neck. She applied her makeup and selected her jewelry and had just slipped her heels on her feet when there was a knock at the door.

"It's open!" she called as she transferred a few things into her clutch that she would carry tonight.

"Wow, Ace. You look...just...wow," Logan managed to get out when he saw her.

"You look pretty wow yourself," Rory replied. "You've already seen me in this dress; I don't know why you're almost speechless."

"Yes, but now I get the whole effect. You are seriously going to be the most gorgeous woman in the room tonight."

"Well, thank you. Shall we?" Rory asked.

"We shall," Logan replied as he offered her his arm. They locked Rory's dorm behind them and walked out to the waiting limo for the hour drive to the Gilmore estate. They conversed easily on the drive, seeming to never run out of things to talk about. Logan changed the subject when they were only a few minutes away from the sprawling mansion.

"Are you ready to charm the cameras that will no doubt be waiting for our arrival, Ace?"

"I'm as ready as I'm going to be," Rory replied right as they pulled up at the front door. The limo stopped and Logan got out first before turning to Rory to help her out of the limo. She took his offered hand and he steadied her as she stepped out. The cameras began to flash and he pulled her close and kissed her, dipping her lightly, before he hooked her arm through his. They both smiled and posed for a moment before walking into the party.

"Still getting the word out there, Huntzberger?" Rory teased.

"Well, I have to make sure everyone knows that you're spoken for," Logan answered a bit quietly while blushing.

"Oh my gosh!" Rory exclaimed quietly. "Logan Huntzberger, are you insecure?"

"Let's just say that since getting to know you I'm painfully aware of how amazing you are and that I wouldn't have even gotten this chance with you without our families having gotten involved."

"Hey, look at me," Rory commanded as she took his face in her hands gently. "I'm with you because I want to be. You're pretty damn amazing, too, and you're the only one I'm interested in being with," Rory reassured him. She kissed him lightly and he wondered at his amazing luck in somehow finding this incredible woman.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I have gotten a couple of questions about the end of chapter 10. It appears that in my attempt not to be graphic I was a little too vague. Go figure! So, yes, Logan and Rory did the deed in chapter 10 (and 11). The conversation they had at the basketball court was them agreeing that they didn't need the full two week trial period because they both knew that they definitely wanted to be together for real, so they also decided that since that decision was made they could go for it in the bedroom as well. They're definitely an unconventional couple. Remember, this whole thing is AU. I suspect Rory would have been a very different person had she been raised in Hartford with both parents. Now, onto the story!**

Rory and Logan walked into the Gilmore mansion, her arm tucked into his, and almost immediately every eye in the room was on them. They may have just begun their relationship, but word had obviously gotten around quickly. There were hushed whispers around the room as the couple proceed further into the sprawling estate.

"They're all looking at us, Logan," Rory lamented quietly, society smile still plastered on her face.

"Just keep smiling, Ace. Unfortunately, we represent three of the most powerful families in Hartford; that's why our families wanted this. Just remember, we play by our own rules, right? This is about us now, not about our families," he reassured her quietly. "Speaking of which, your grandparents and my parents just spotted us. Are you ready to deal with them yet?"

"God, no!" Rory exclaimed quietly.

"Well then, may I have this dance?" he asked as he turned toward her.

"You are brilliant! They'll never bother us if they think we're out there selling this relationship to the press," Rory replied as she took his hand and allowed him to lead her onto the dance floor. He took her in his arms and the couple fell easily into a graceful waltz.

"You know that they're all smug as hell over there right now," Rory grumbled as she jerked her head toward their families. The Huntzbergers, the elder Gilmores and Francine Hayden were all standing together watching the young couple with glee evident on their faces.

"They're probably choosing our china pattern and flowers for the wedding as we speak," he shot back quickly.

"I'm certain that the wedding invitations will be printed by the end of next week."

"I guess I should start on planning our honeymoon, right? That seems like a good job for the groom," he continued their banter.

"I'm sorry, did Logan Huntzberger just refer to himself as a groom? Someone call a doctor, quickly!" she teased.

"I must say, I myself am surprised that I didn't pass out when I said it."

"All of those blonde bimbos will be so disappointed," she tutted.

"I'm giving up all of the blondes and the bimbos, because you are neither, Ace," he whispered seriously suddenly.

"I must say, I'm glad," she teased lightly, but he could tell that she really was happy that he was. "After hearing the rumors I never thought I would see the day, but I'm glad."

"Well, perhaps I'd just never met someone worth giving up the playboy ways for. It's only been a week, Ror, but I can certainly see that you're one hell of a woman, and if I want to be with a woman like you, I need to make some changes."

"Just...always be honest with me, Logan?" she asked quietly.

"I promise, Ace. We both need to always be honest with each other. And Ace?"

"Hmm?"

"There won't be any need to be discrete about any indiscretions, because there won't be any," he told her as he looked her in the eyes. Rather than answer, she moved in closer to him, taking comfort in having his body close to hers. They danced in silence for a few more minutes before finally deciding that it was time to face the families. Mitchum was the first to speak as they walked up to the group. Logan had his arm tightly around Rory's waist.

"Rory, Logan, so good to see you two this evening,"

"It's lovely to see you as well, Mitchum, Shira. Hi, Grandma, Grandpa. And it's lovely to see you as well, Grandma Francine," Rory greeted.

"You two look like you're getting along quite well," Emily gushed, looking back and forth between the young couple.

"Yes well, that is what you guys wanted it to look like, is it not?" Logan asked tersely.

"Now now, there's no need for that," Richard cut in. "We simply wanted what's best for you two."

"We're both intelligent adults; certainly we could figure that out for ourselves, no?" Logan shot back. "Now, if you'll excuse us, I believe that I see some friends." With that, Logan led Rory across the room to the bar where Colin, Steph and Finn were waiting for drinks.

"Ah, if it isn't Hartford's newest power couple," Colin teased as they approached.

"Ooh, yes! They need a name," Stephanie jumped in. "You know, like Brangelina? Yes! We'll call them Rogan!"

"Oh, God," Rory groaned as she rolled her eyes. "Your friends are crazy, Logan."

"They are, but I've known then too long to trade them in. Besides, they always keep things interesting."

"That's the truth," Rory scoffed in mock exasperation.

The group of friends took their drinks and settled into conversation finally. Of course, Logan's friends had to continue to lightly tease him about their status as a power couple, but if they were honest they were all happy to see Logan in this relationship. It was a shock at first when he'd introduced Rory, but it was glaringly obvious to those around him that Rory was really good for him. She called him on his crap and could actually keep up with him. Rory and Logan finally broke away to mingle, as their families expected of them.

Logan proudly introduced Rory to those he spoke with, and he was particularly gratified to note the look of shock on his father's business associates' faces as Rory not only kept up with the conversations about the family business, but actually shared brilliant insight and ideas. She wasn't just stunning; she was brilliant as well. Damn his parents. She was a perfect match, but he would never admit that to them. He and Rory had decided to keep the elder Gilmores, the Huntzbergers and Francine Hayden in the dark about the actual status of their relationship for as long as possible. The last thing they needed was additional pressure from their families; that's why they had come up with the hair-brained idea of turning the tables on their families in the first place.

Frankly, watching Rory charm everyone in the room with her beauty, wit and intelligence left Logan dying to kiss her, so eventually he excused them from their current company and led her out into the gardens behind the Gilmore estate. As they reached the garden, he pulled her into his arms. He held her close and whispered to her.

"You have been amazing in there tonight, Ace. If I'd known that you could have made these events tolerable I would have wooed you long ago," he teased.

"Ah, but you lost out, my good man. You'll just have to settle for having me at them now. Look on the bright side, you're guaranteed that I'll be there next to you at all of them for the next year and a half."

"Damn, I should have had the foresight to try to sneak in a later expiration date for the arrangement in there," Logan tutted.

"Hindsight is 20/20, Huntzberger," she replied as she curled closer into him, inhaling his intoxicating scent and enjoying being in his arms.

They could hear the music from inside, and Logan began swaying quietly with her in his arms. This wasn't a waltz for show; this was a quiet, intimate moment with his girlfriend. Rory closed her eyes and laid her head on his shoulder, content to be in this moment.

"You know," Logan finally whispered, "I've been dying to kiss you since we walked into the party."

"Well, there's nothing stopping you now, is there? I mean, we're outside all by ourselves…"

Logan didn't let her finish her sentence before he leaned down and kissed her tenderly. He placed his hands on either side of her face and held her gently as his lips found hers. They melted together for a few minutes before reluctantly breaking apart and walking through the gardens hand-in-hand for a bit. Neither knew that their families had seen exactly what had happened since they walked outside.

"Yes, I think things are coming along quite nicely," Mitchum said as he saw the young couple embrace and interact tenderly with each other.

"Indeed, much better than we could have anticipated. I thought it would take them much longer to form a relationship," Richard replied.

"Oh, Shira! Can't you just see our grandbabies now - with his blonde hair and her blue eyes? They'll be just stunning," Emily cooed.

"That they will, Emily," Shira responded warmly.

"Now, ladies, let's not let them get wind of our plans. If we want to have any hope of getting them to agree to the arranged marriage we need to let them get to know each other without pressure from us. Our jobs will be much easier if they begin to have feelings for each other. We mustn't interfere," Richard warned.

"Richard is correct; we must proceed as we discussed. Let's leave them alone as much as possible. Let them be college students and sow their wild oats together now. We'll just gently encourage them to enjoy things for now, jetting around the world or living kept lives. We need them to get that all out of their system now so they'll agree to the marriage contract and business mergers when Logan graduates," Mitchum continued.

It was a night with many secrets, and neither party had any idea what the other was up to at the moment.


	13. Chapter 13

Logan cringed as the sound of his cell phone woke him from his peaceful sleep. He and Rory had come home from the party at the Gilmore estate and had spent several very enjoyable hours enjoying each other before they'd drifted off to sleep in the early hours of the morning. He glanced at the beautiful woman in his arms before grabbing the phone and answering it quietly, not even bothering to check the caller ID.

"Huntzberger," he said quietly, hoping not to wake Rory.

"Logan, son, did I wake you?" Mitchum's voice boomed.

"You did, Dad," Logan sighed.

"Why are you whispering?" Mitchum inquired. Shit, he hadn't even thought about having to have that conversation with his dad, given that he and Rory were trying to keep the elders out of the loop.

"Just trying to keep it down, Dad. Did you need something?"

"Please tell me that you're not in bed with one of your bed bunnies, Logan," Mitchum admonished.

"I'm not having this conversation with you right now, Dad. What did you need?" Logan asked impatiently.

"I was just calling to see if you'd made plans for November break yet."

"No, I really haven't," Logan answered uncertainly.

"Well then, I thought you should know that the family jet is available, and you and Miss Gilmore would be more than welcome to take the jet and spend some time at any of the family properties. Your mother and I are staying here in Hartford for the holiday, so we won't be bothering you if you choose to travel."

"Am I not expected to spend Thanksgiving with the family?" Logan asked, confusion evident in his voice.

"I'm telling you that you and Miss Gilmore are welcome to get away together for the holiday. Should you not wish to do so, we will see you at home during your break and for the holiday," Mitchum clarified.

"Sure, Dad. I'll talk with Rory about it next time I see her," Logan answered evasively.

"Very well, son. Now, I'll let you roll back over and enjoy the rest of your morning with whomever is warming your bed, but you'd damn sure better make sure that Rory doesn't find out," Mitchum admonished him just before hanging up the phone.

"Shit!" Logan growled as he rolled back over and snuggled into the still sleeping Rory. He watched her as she slept in his arms, their bodies pressed together intimately. They had been too exhausted from the prior night's amorous activities to bother with putting clothes or pajamas back on before drifting off to sleep. As he looked at Rory, he realized that this was still a new experience for him. He'd slept with plenty of women, but he had never once stayed until the next morning. He would usually wait until they were asleep and sneak out as soon as he could, but that all changed with Rory Gilmore. He should be panicking right now, but every time he'd woke up next to her he had felt nothing but contentment.

He felt Rory stirring in his arms and kissed her forehead as she rolled over towards him.

"Mmm...morning, baby," she mumbled sleepily.

"Morning, beautiful. Want me to go grab you some coffee?"

"Soon, but not quite yet. Right now I want you to hold me for a little while longer," she whispered.

Logan's heart melted a bit and he sighed in contentment as he pulled her closer to him.

"Did I hear one of our phones ring a little bit ago?" she asked, eyes still not open.

"Yeah, it was my dad," Logan answered.

"Everything okay?" she asked. Logan had told her all about his sometimes-rocky relationship with his parents.

"I think so," Logan chuckled. "He actually told me that you and I were welcome to take the family jet and stay at any of the family properties if we wanted to get away during November break." Rory's eyes shot open at this.

"What's the catch?" she asked suspiciously.

"The only catch, apparently, is that if you and I choose not to go somewhere together, I'm expected home during the break and the holiday."

"Wow, that's…" Rory trailed off.

"Yeah," he chuckled.

"So, what do you want to do?" Rory asked, suddenly awake.

"It would be nice to get away and spend some time just the two of us."

"It would. It's just...I've never not spent Thanksgiving with my family. Maybe we could skip our Friday classes so we could leave the Thursday before Thanksgiving and fly back the night before Thanksgiving? That would give us almost a week."

"Yeah, that could work," Logan replied in agreement. "Would you possibly want to try to spend Thanksgiving together? I could try to get out of my family dinner and go with you instead?"

"I'd love that," Rory replied enthusiastically. "You know, as badly as they want us together, I bet we could talk them into scheduling their dinners so we could attend both of them if you'd like."

"Ladies and gentlemen, my girlfriend is beautiful and brilliant," Logan teased as he tickled her sides.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mitchum walked back to his table after he hung up the phone with his son. He was at brunch with Richard and Emily Gilmore, and Francine Hayden. The families had a longstanding friendship, and they were all keenly interested in keeping tabs on the new couple.

"Did he seem receptive to your proposition?" Francine asked.

"Yes, I think he was interested. I expect we'll hear from him soon," Mitchum replied. The group went back to their food for a moment before Emily and Shira's cell phones rang. They both quickly answered their phones as they stepped away from the table. They returned a couple of minutes later, both grinning broadly.

"That was Rory," Emily relayed happily to the group. "She wanted to know if I could coordinate Thanksgiving dinner with Shira so that she and Logan would be able to attend both dinners together rather than spending the holiday apart. They're going to leave the Thursday before Thanksgiving and fly back the night before Thanksgiving; Rory hasn't spent a major holiday away from her family and wants to be home for the holiday."

"Logan was calling me for the same reason," Shira added, obviously pleased. "Perhaps we could combine our family holidays this year and celebrate together, Emily and Francine?"

"Oh, that's a splendid idea!" Emily enthused.

"It certainly is," Francine agreed. "We can all meet this week to finalize the details."

"Splendid idea, ladies," Richard praised. "Shall we make similar plans for Christmas? It would certainly send a strong message that our families are uniting and behind Logan and Rory's relationship."

"That's a fine idea, Richard," Mitchum replied in approval.


	14. Chapter 14

After another week of blissfully hiding their real relationship from their families, Rory and Logan found themselves at the Gilmore estate for brunch on Saturday morning. Emily had insisted on hosting the Huntzbergers, the younger Gilmores, and Francine Hayden for the morning in order to "strengthen the union of the families". Rory rolled her eyes as her grandmother told her about the brunch, giving specific instructions about how to dress and behave.

Rory and Logan knew that their days of hiding their relationship from their families were numbered; the question remained as to exactly what that number was. It was inevitable that someone who saw them at school would talk to someone who knew their families and the jig would be up. They'd both decided to hold out as long as possible though in order to maintain some sense of sanity, knowing that the revelation of the true nature of their relationship would bring a whole new level of hysteria from Emily, Francine and Shira.

They arrived separately at the Gilmore estate, having decided that it was better to keep up the appearance of only dating for show, and Rory found herself arriving after Logan and the elders had gotten there. She braced herself for whatever the terrible threesome of elder ladies had to throw at her and rang the bell. She was greeted promptly by the maid.

"Theresa, thank you so much. How are the kids?" Rory asked the maid as she took her purse.

"I'm well, thank you, Miss Rory. You look beautiful as always," Theresa responded. "They're all in the sitting room, including that gorgeous boyfriend of yours," she continued with a wink.

"Thank you, Theresa," Rory replied with a blush. She proceeded to the sitting room where the men stood as she entered the room.

"Rory, you're here," Emily greeted her happily. "You look lovely, dear. Doesn't she look lovely, Logan?"

"Indeed she does, Emily," Logan replied, schooling his features in order to appear aloof when in truth he thought his girlfriend looked ravishing.

Rory kissed the ladies on the cheek and went to her grandpa.

"Grandpa, it's so wonderful to see you," Rory told her grandpa as she hugged him warmly. She had always been closer to Richard that she was to Emily. She felt as though he understood her better.

"And Mitchum, it's lovely to see you again," Rory demurred.

"It's lovely to see you as well, Rory," he returned.

"What can I get you to drink, Rory?" Richard asked as he walked to the drink cart.

"Just a club soda for me, Grandpa. Thank you."

She accepted her drink from her grandpa and settled onto the couch next to Logan, resisting the urge to sit too close to him or initiate any physical contact that would give them away. Just a minute later, she heard the doorbell ring once more and her parents entered. They took their seats after greeting everyone and getting their drinks. Conversation was going smoothly until Mitchum dropped the bomb.

"So, Logan, Rory, have you two decided where you'd like to go for November break?"

"I think we'd like to stay at the villa in Turks and Caicos, actually," Logan told his dad.

"What, you're going away for November break? What about Thanksgiving, Rory?" Lorelai asked, obviously unhappy with the news that she'd just heard.

"We'll fly back home the night before Thanksgiving so we can celebrate with our families," Rory answered sweetly.

"We thought it would be nice for the kids to get away for a bit during their school break, so Mitchum offered them use of the Huntzberger private jet and any of the properties they own," Richard told Lorelai and Chris proudly.

"I'm sorry, did you think you might want to talk to her parents about this?" Chris asked angrily.

"Well, we didn't think you would mind. As we said, we figured they were due a break and would enjoy the opportunity to spend some time alone together. Honestly, I don't see why you're making such a big deal out of this, Christopher," Francine answered him.

"You don't see why we're making such a big deal out of this, Mother?" Chris asked incredulously. "You decided on your own, without consulting her parents, to try to get Rory to go out of town with this boy you've forced her into a fake relationship with. The next thing you know you'll be offering them a bigger inheritance if they have sex in hopes that they'll slip up and create a precious heir for the three families, giving you reason to force them into marriage. I forbid this; they will not go on this trip that you're manipulating them into. I will not allow you to hand my daughter the opportunity to have sex on a silver platter."

"Yeah, because she couldn't just do that at Yale," Lorelai scoffed, earning a dirty look from Christopher.

The room was silent for just a moment before Richard spoke up. "Rory, Logan, perhaps you'd like to take a walk in the garden? It's fairly warm for a fall day." The look on Richard's face told them that it wasn't really a request. They quickly got up and walked out to the garden, closing the door behind them when they exited the house.

"That was intense," Logan said quietly as they walked away from the imposing manor.

"That's an understatement," Rory replied as they continued further away from the house.

"What are we going to do if your dad continues to be against us going out of town together?" Logan asked. They'd both already come to really look forward to their trip.

"I can talk to my parents and clue them in on the real status of our relationship. They'll help us keep it from the others," Rory assured him. Logan simply nodded as they continued walking, unaware of just how the conversation was going in the house.

"You have no right to try to sell my daughter off to the Huntzberger family," Christopher fired off angrily.

"Now, son, we all have the kids' best interest at heart," Francine attempted to placate him.

"Do not try to handle me, Mother," Christopher warned.

"Now, Christopher, no one is forcing the kids into anything," Richard tried to soothe. "We simply gave the children the option of staging a relationship for the betterment of our families."

"Yes, because that makes it so much better, Dad," Lorelai shot back. "You all keep meddling in their lives and trying to push them together with your nefarious plans."

"Our plans are not nefarious, Lorelai," Emily replied snidely. "I don't know why you're putting up such a fight."

"Lay off of Rory and Logan, Mom and Dad. Do you understand me?" Lorelai asked icily. "They are more than capable of making their own decisions."

"And what if they actually want to get away for their break? Will you allow them to go then?" Richard asked. Christopher just sighed and looked at Lorelai, the two having a silent conversation in order to put up a united front.

"If they both walk back in that door and tell us, without any interference or coaching from any of you, that they want to go on this trip I'll consider it," Christopher finally relented.

"Very well," Emily replied, hoping that their plan could be saved. "Theresa, will you ask the kids to come in, please?" Emily instructed the maid. She returned a couple of minutes later with the two students. All of the adults looked to Christopher, waiting for him to begin the conversation.

"Rory, do you want to go on this trip with Logan?" Christopher asked his daughter, certain that he knew her answer. Rory only paused for a second before answering her dad.

"I do, Daddy. I've always wanted to go there, and I need a break from all the studying. Besides, it's not like we're going to be sharing a bed," she answered sweetly, hoping that her dad couldn't see through her lie. The words felt like a knife to the heart. His baby girl wanted to go away with that boy.

"And Logan?" Christopher asked.

"I do, sir. I think the break would do Rory and I good," Logan answered.

"Very well then, I will back off, but don't think that you can continue to manipulate Rory and Logan," Christopher warned. After sitting through the awkward brunch and saying their goodbyes, Rory and Logan finally arrived back at Yale in their separate vehicles.

"Am I the only one who feels the need to blow off some steam after that?" Logan asked as they got out of their cars.

"Not at all, Mac. What do you say we destress in the bedroom and then meet the gang at the pub for drinks later?" Rory asked seductively as she ran her hands up his chest lightly.

"My girlfriend is smart and sexy," Logan replied as he followed her to her empty dorm room, both leaving a trail of clothes as soon as the door was shut and locked behind them. It wasn't long at all until neither of them were thinking about brunch or their families.


	15. Chapter 15

Saturday evening found Rory at her parents' house. She was planning to spend some time with her mom and dad that night, in part to bring them up-to-date on the status of her and Logan's relationship, and then Logan was going to come for lunch Sunday to spend some time with the Haydens in order to hopefully put their minds at ease.

Rory walked into her parents' house and joined them in the living room.

"We haven't seen much of you lately, kiddo," Christopher told her when she walked in and hugged them both.

"I'm sorry, life has been a little crazy," Rory apologized.

"So, what's new with you?" Lorelai asked her.

"Just school, school, and more school. I feel like I've kind of found my groove, but still, it's a lot of work."

"It's going well, though?" Christopher asked.

"Yeah, it's going really well. Grades are good, and I'm getting more bylines in the paper."

"You know your mom and I are really proud of you, kiddo," Christopher told her.

"Now, tell Mommy all about what's going on with you and Logan," Lorelai instructed her daughter.

"About that...I wanted to talk to you about mine and Logan's relationship. We've been spending a lot of time together, and he and I are dating each other now, for real. We don't want his parents or my grandparents to find out yet, though. We know that they'll put a lot of pressure on us to make this more serious than it is."

"You're falling right into line with their plan, Rory," Lorelai admonished her.

"No, their plan is for us to pretend to be dating," Rory corrected her.

"Don't kid yourself, babe. Their hope is that if you pretend to be dating each other, you'll actually start seeing each other. You should know better than to trust them," Lorelai told her.

"Your mom's right, kiddo. This is how they operate," Christopher chimed in.

"Look, I'm happy right now, okay? And once you guys get to know Logan better you'll like him, too. He really is a good guy," Rory told her parents.

"He's the biggest playboy on the eastern seaboard," Chris growled.

"And every single one of those girls has known exactly where they stood before anything happened. Just...give him a chance, please, Daddy? We've already been dating each other exclusively for almost a month, and he's been amazing," Rory added, turning her Bambi eyes to her dad. Christopher took in her hopeful face and sighed.

"Those damn Bambi eyes get me every single time," he admitted reluctantly. "And you really want to go away with this guy during your next break?"

"I really do. We have a great time together, and I feel comfortable with him. It will be nice to get away, and we'll be back before Thanksgiving."

"I don't like this at all; I still feel like I'm sending my daughter away to have sex," he groaned.

"Chris, we've been over this," Lorelai warned him. "She doesn't live at home anymore. She's older than we were when I got pregnant with her, and while I certainly want more for her, we have to trust her. She's proven herself to be responsible."

"Fine," he reluctantly agreed. "But he'd better treat you right or I'll become his worst nightmare. I never expected you two actually agree to this business deal, and I really didn't expect you to like him enough to date him."

"Everything will be fine, Daddy; you'll see. Thank you!" Rory squealed as she hugged her parents.

"Now, about that movie night!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rory ran down the stairs excitedly when she heard the doorbell ring before lunch on Sunday, happy to see Logan again. They'd started spending more of their nights together in one of their dorms, and she missed sleeping in his arms Saturday night.

"Hey, you!" she greeted him with a smile when she opened the door.

"Hey, I missed you," he told her quietly as he wrapped his arms around her. She tipped her chin up and kissed him chastely, careful not to give her dad too much of an eyeful.

"I missed you, too. How was the rest of your day?"

"It was good. I finished up my paper that's due Monday and my article for the paper and then hung out with the guys at my dorm. They all told me to tell you hello."

"Well, I'm glad you're here. Mom and Dad are in the kitchen. Shall we?"

Logan moved to wrap his arm around her shoulder and they walked into the kitchen together.

"Lorelai, Christopher, thank you for inviting me for lunch today," Logan greeted them as they walked into the kitchen.

"We're glad you could come, Logan. We'd like to get to know you better," Lorelai returned as Christopher just scowled in his general direction.

"Daddy…" Rory warned after taking in her dad's expression. Christopher quickly schooled his face into a more neutral expression and forced himself to play nicely.

"Logan, it's good to see you. How was the drive?"

"It was good, sir." Logan finally found himself feeling intimidated by Rory's dad again and wanted desperately to make a good impression. "Can I help you with lunch, Lorelai?"

"Oh, you silly boy," Lorelai chuckled. "I don't cook. In this house, Chris does all of the cooking."

"You can help with the salad if you'd like," Chris offered as he moved to the stove to check on the progress of lunch. Logan quickly washed his hands and went to the counter, washing and chopping and preparing the salad while Chris tended to the rest of the food. Logan breathed a sigh of relief as Chris began to ask him about boarding school and they were able to bond over the shared experience of being kicked out of many of the same boarding schools. It seems that Chris was quite the practical joker and troublemaker before meeting Lorelai.

By the time lunch was on the table, he and Christopher were conversing easily and all of the earlier tension was gone.

"So, what all are you kids planning to do during your trip?" Lorelai asked as they started eating.

"We're staying at my family's vacation home there; it has a private beach. I figure we will spend a good bit of time just relaxing on the beach. I've also booked a whale watching trip and we're going scuba diving Gibbs Cay. It's beautiful there, and you can actually scuba dive with stingrays. Other than that, I have a couple of surprises up my sleeve for Rory."

"Well, my girls are notoriously impatient when it comes to surprises, so be prepared for her to bug you incessantly," Christopher chuckled.

"Noted," Logan replied with a smile.

"And if she does anything even remotely resembling exercise, I want pictures," Christopher added.

"You've got it," Logan promised with a smile.


	16. Chapter 16

"This is perfect," Rory sighed in contentment as she and Logan lounged on the beach near the crystal clear blue water. They'd just gone scuba diving with the stingrays and had decided to relax for a bit before dinner.

"You need some more sunscreen," Logan told her as he got up and moved to her chair with the tube of sunscreen in his hand. He warmed the lotion between his hands and began rubbing it on her shoulders and back.

"You can put sunscreen on me anytime," Rory purred as his fingers massaged her warm skin.

"Happy to oblige," Logan chuckled. "Want me to get your stomach and legs, too?"

"I can get them."

"I know you can; I'd just like to," Logan smirked.

"Well, far be it from me to stop you then," Rory purred happily.

"You know, we could continue this inside," Logan whispered seductively with a pleading look at Rory.

"But what about our dinner reservations?" Rory giggled.

"I'll move them back," Logan whispered as his hands continued trailing along Rory's long, beautiful legs.

"Make the phone call," Rory said with a wink. She got up and walked toward the house, leaving Logan scrambling after her as he quickly dialed his cell phone to change their dining time.

"You look...ravishing, Ace," Logan said appreciatively as his girlfriend walked out of the bedroom ready for dinner. He walked over to her and met her, giving her an earth-shattering kiss.

"Down, boy. We just showered after our little evening rendezvous; it's dinner time now," Rory chuckled.

"Well, shall we, gorgeous?" Logan smirked as he offered Rory his arm.

Rory took his arm and they walked out to the BMW 4 Series convertible they had rented for the duration of their stay in Turks and Caicos. He helped her into the car and proceeded to his side. Logan drove them to Bay Bistro, where they were quickly seated at a table on the deck. The sun was setting over the water and the view was breathtaking.

"It's gorgeous," Rory whispered reverently as she took in the view around her.

"I thought you might like it. It's nice and quiet, and the food is fantastic."

"Thank you. You know, you're really good at this whole boyfriend thing."

"Well, you make it easy. Apparently I'd just never met a woman who made me want to commit before," Logan replied sweetly.

"Watch it, Huntzberger; you're getting cheesy," Rory chuckled.

"Alright, point taken. How about some wine with dinner tonight, and we can order a few things to share? I know how much you like trying different foods," Logan offered.

"That sounds perfect. You order for us."

"Wow, that's trust, Ace. I think I'm up to the challenge, though."

Logan ordered a bottle of chardonnay to go with their seafood dishes and ordered two appetizers and three entrees for them to share.

"So, you're enjoying yourself?" Logan asked her after the waiter had poured their wine.

"I really am. This had been perfect; I needed the break. And it's nice to be mostly hidden from the paparazzi, too."

"You can say that again. Maybe we could get away again during winter break? We could make sure we're back in plenty of time to celebrate the holiday together with our families," he offered.

"That would be really nice. You don't think your family will mind?"

"No, Ace," Logan chuckled. "My family isn't close like yours, and my parents are so thrilled about our relationship, even if they don't know that it's a real relationship yet, that they would do anything to encourage us to get closer."

"How long do you think we'll be able to keep them all in the dark?" Rory asked quietly.

"I think our secret will probably come to light before the end of the year. They've already been asking questions."

"It will be easier not to have to lie, but I really don't want to see the smug looks on their faces," Rory grimaced.

"You and me both," Logan chuckled. "They'll be unbearable once they found out we actually like each other, but it's worth it. After all, without their overbearing meddling I wouldn't have met you," he continued as he reached over and took her hand across the table.

"You have a point there," Rory said with a smile. "They've certainly tried to get me to agree to much worse things."

"So, we go whale watching tomorrow and then head home the following day. Is there anything else you want to make sure we do while we're here?"

"No, I think we've done everything that I wanted to do - really, I mostly wanted to relax. I would like to pick up some kind of gift for my mom and dad, though."

"We can go souvenir shopping after our tour, then," Logan offered.

"Sounds perfect," Rory said as their entrees were delivered.

They enjoyed the rest of their dinner and took a walk on the beach when they returned to the Huntzberger villa.

"I love the sound of the ocean and the feel of the sand between my toes," Rory said as they walked hand-in-hand.

"There's something about the beach for sure," Logan agreed. "You know, we can come back here anytime we want to."

"That would be really nice," Rory said with a yawn.

"You're exhausted," Logan chuckled. "Let's go to bed."

"No, I don't want the day to end! We just have one more full day here after today, and I don't want our vacation to end," Rory pouted.

"There will be more vacations, I promise," Logan chuckled as he pulled her in closer to him and kissed her temple.

"Well, if you promise," Rory said sleepily.

"I do," he assured her. "Now, if we don't get you to bed you're going to fall asleep on the beach."

"That might not be so bad."

"No way, Ace. Your dad would have my hide if something happened to you. Come on," he said. He bent and picked her up to carry her bridal style to the house.

"My hero," Rory swooned as he carried her.

"Well, happy to be of service."

He laid her down in their bed and turned to take off his clothes. When he turned back around she was already asleep. He took a minute to really look at her. She looked so peaceful and innocent as she slept. He smiled and slid her dress off of her and one of his t-shirts over her body before joining her in bed.

"Goodnight, Ace," he whispered before kissing her forehead. He laid down next to her and smiled as she unconsciously snuggled into his side and wrapped her arms around him. He was pretty certain that he was the luckiest man in the world.


	17. Chapter 17

Rory and Logan had flown into Hartford late Wednesday night in order to ensure that they were home in time for Thanksgiving with the families. Deciding that they didn't want to spend the night apart, they had chosen to go back to Logan's dorm and spend the night together there. Neither one knew just how much they would come to regret that decision very soon.

After an entire flight of Rory keeping Logan's wandering hands at bay in order to avoid giving the small flight crew on the private jet a show and some very intense making out in the back of the town car during the ride home, they were both quite hot and bothered when the door to his dorm closed behind them. They'd instantly fallen into each other's arms, leaving a trail of clothing behind them as they made their way into his bedroom. They'd spent seemingly endless hours lost in pleasure before falling asleep just as they were.

Logan was sleeping soundly with Rory in his arms when he heard a door slamming and heavy footsteps coming his way. He barely had time to register the intrusion in his sleep-hazed state before his bedroom door slammed open and an angry Mitchum Huntzberger stomped into the room. He pulled the covers over himself and Rory as quickly as possible in order to shield her from her father's view.

"Logan Elias Huntzberger, I have been calling you all morning, but I'm guessing from the scene in the common room that your phone is still buried in your pants pocket in there somewhere. Son, your mother and I have tried to give you every opportunity in life, including a chance with the lovely Miss Gilmore, but you continually piss them away. This stops here!" Mitchum bellowed loudly.

"Good morning to you too, Father," Logan grumbled. "It's nice to see you. Happy Thanksgiving."

"Don't be smart with me, son! What the hell do you think you're doing here? Do I even want to know what bimbo you have in bed with you right now? Use your head, Logan! If Rory gets word of this, she'll be irate. How the hell could you still sleep with one of your flings when you have the chance to try to start something with such a lovely woman?!"

Logan couldn't help but chuckle quietly and he felt Rory slap him subtly under the covers.

"This is not funny, Logan!" Mitchum growled. "Do you have any idea what would happen to our family if word got out that the Huntzberger half of Hartford's newest up-and-coming power couple was caught in a compromising position with another woman? We may own the largest media conglomerate in the world, but even I can't stop that news from being printed. Do you not understand how important this is?"

"I understand, sir," Logan said seriously. "Do you think you could step out for a minute and let us get dressed?"

Mitchum sighed and walked toward the door. "Don't think this is over yet, son. I'll be waiting in the common room."

"I wouldn't dare think this was over," Logan said as he rolled his eyes.

The door closed behind Mitchum and he let out a sigh of relief as he uncovered Rory.

"Are you okay, Ace? I'm sorry about what he said."

"You don't need to apologize to me, Logan. I'm way more concerned about the way your father just talked to you," she insisted.

"Well, this is just yet another chapter in the Mitchum and Logan Huntzberger father-son relationship. I'm used to it," Logan replied in an attempt to shrug it off.

Logan walked over to his dresser and handed Rory a pair of sweats and a t-shirt before beginning to put on his own clothes.

"Just because you're used to it doesn't make it right, Logan. He shouldn't talk to you like that."

"It is what it is, Rory," Logan said as he finished pulling on his shirt. "I'm going to go talk to my dad; I'll be back."

Logan walked out into the common room and had just closed the door behind him when it opened again, and both Huntzberger men turned their attention to the figure coming out of the room.

"You didn't need to deal with this," Logan said, just as Mitchum said "Miss Gilmore?"

"Hello, Mitchum. I thought you'd like to see what bimbo your son had in his bed this morning. That was the term you used, wasn't it?" Rory asked with a sneer.

"I...I didn't know it was you, Rory. I do apologize; I certainly don't intend to insinuate anything of the sort about you. I assumed that my son was still engaging in meaningless flings," Mitchum stammered.

"You do know what they say about assuming, don't you, Mitchum? Because that's certainly what happened here. Just to clue you in as to what's going on here - your son and I have been dating - exclusively - since a week after we were introduced at that dinner. We were just hoping to avoid the additional pressure that would come with our families knowing that we were actually in a relationship," Rory informed him.

"Again, Miss Gilmore, I apologize sincerely for what I said about you this morning," Mitchum repeated.

"I think the one you need to be apologizing to is your son, Mitchum. He hadn't done anything wrong, but you tore into him without getting your facts straight," Rory insisted.

Logan coughed to cover up his laugh at Rory's handling of his father. She was the only one he'd ever seen manhandle Mitchum like that.

"I suppose you're right. Logan, I apologize for my assumptions and the way that I yelled at you this morning. It was highly inappropriate on my part. I will let you two get ready for Thanksgiving with the families and I'll see you shortly," Mitchum said sheepishly as he excused himself from the dorm.

Logan smiled at Rory as they were left alone again. He walked over to her and wrapped her in his arms.

"I must say, Ace, angry works for you. I don't know if I've ever been so turned on as I was just now from seeing you yell at my father," Logan said before kissing her passionately. "I think we have just enough time for me to show you how grateful I am for you putting him in his place before we need to start getting ready."


	18. Chapter 18

Realizing that the status of their relationship would be known to their families before the day was over, Logan and Rory saw no point in trying to maintain the appearance of not actually dating. They showered and dressed and arrived at the Hayden mansion together precisely on time, hoping to avoid interrogation. Unfortunately, Mitchum met them as soon as they walked into the house and pulled them into the study.

"I will give you two until the last course of dinner to announce the status of your relationship, otherwise I'll let the cat out of the bag myself," Mitchum said smugly. "I'd suggest you do it yourselves - I'm certain they would all want to know how I knew if I were the one to tell them."

With those words, Mitchum turned and walked out of the study, leaving them alone. Rory turned to Logan with a worried look on her face. He pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly.

"Everything's going to be okay, Ace. I'm sure we'll have to deal with a little extra pressure from our families, but the terms of the contract are clear. They can't force us into anything - we'll still play by our own rules," he reassured her quietly.

Rory finally exhaled and gave him a small smile.

"You're right. How do you want to play this? Get it over with or wait as long as possible?" she asked.

"Well, given the smug look on my father's face and the fact that I'm certain that he thinks he's got us sweating bullets, I say we walk in there with our heads held high and steal his thunder. We can't let him know that he has us rattled, Rory," Logan said seriously.

"Alright, let's go make them all happier than a kid in a candy store," Rory agreed.

Logan kissed her quickly and they walked out of the study and through the house to the sitting room. Everyone looked up at them when they entered the room, eyeing their intertwined hands expectantly. Logan led Rory over to a chair and pulled her down into his lap, knowing full well that it would simultaneously rile up the older generation due to the lack of proper decorum and excite them because Rory and Logan were looking quite cozy. He chuckled to himself as he saw the shocked looks on Shira, Emily and Francine's faces.

"Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. Rory and I very much appreciate you making arrangements for us all to celebrate the holiday together," Logan said smoothly as Rory snuggled further into his side.

The elders all continued staring at them for a moment before Emily finally answered.

"Of course, Logan. We're just delighted that you two wanted to spend the holiday together," Emily replied demurely.

Logan leaned over and whispered something in Rory's ear and she smiled and nodded to him. They both stood up and he wrapped his arm around her waist. He cleared his throat to get everyone's attention, but truthfully it wasn't necessary - they were all still staring at the young couple eagerly. He tightened his grip on Rory a bit more and began speaking to their families.

"Rory and I have a bit of an announcement to make. As we've gotten to know each other over the last several weeks, we've discovered how much we have in common and have grown quite fond of spending time together. We wanted to keep things quiet for a bit as we define our relationship, but I'm overjoyed to announce that this beautiful woman is officially my girlfriend - by choice, not just by contract," Logan beamed.

They were instantly embraced by Shira, Francine and Emily, who were all beside themselves at the news. They were lost in a sea of hugs, pats on the back, and excited exclamations over what a handsome couple they made and how beautiful their children would look. Rory held up her hand and silenced the group.

"Everyone stop right there," she said firmly. "Logan and I have been dating since shortly after you introduced us, but we didn't say anything because we didn't want this pressure. There will be no veiled references to our future children or attempts to plan our wedding. Just let us enjoy getting to know each other and spending time together without any additional pressure from all of you."

The three ladies suddenly looked around sheepishly and backed away from the young couple.

"Of course, dear. We wouldn't want to potentially cause problems in your relationship, would we, ladies?" Emily asked Shira and Francine.

"No, of course not," Shira agreed.

Rory and Logan breathed a sigh of relief as the maid came in to tell them all that dinner was ready. They'd done the hard part and let their families in on their little secret; hopefully it would all be downhill from there.

Everyone seemed to be on their best behavior during dinner. There was no further mention of Rory and Logan's relationship, and they were both incredibly grateful for that. Any one of their parents or grandparents could be overbearing and difficult at times, but when you put them all together there was potential for all kinds of problems.

After dinner, the men retired to the study while the ladies gathered in the sitting room. Logan hated to leave Rory to fend for herself with the elder ladies, but he knew that she could handle anything they threw her way. He needed only to look at Rory's handling of Mitchum to know that she would be fine. He reluctantly followed the other men to the study for cigars and scotch. They were all sitting around enjoying their indulgences when Chris suddenly shifted and gave Logan a stern look.

"I'm certain that I don't have to tell you how much my daughter means to me, Logan, but I will anyway. That little girl is my world, and I would do anything to protect her from harm, including heartbreak because of a certain playboy," Chris said sternly.

Logan gulped and swallowed hard.

"I wouldn't dream of hurting Rory, sir. She's very important to me as well," Logan attempted to assure him.

Chris considered his words for a minute before speaking.

"I'm sure that you're aware of your reputation with women…" Chris began.

For the first time in his life, Logan found himself embarrassed over his status as a playboy.

"I am, sir," Logan replied quietly.

"Then let me make myself perfectly clear. I didn't support this relationship when it was a sham, and I'm still not a fan. If you can't commit to my daughter and resist the urge to stray, you need to walk away now. I won't take kindly to you breaking her heart," Chris warned.

Logan relaxed a bit. He hadn't even thought of another woman since he'd met Rory, and he didn't see that changing. With other women, he'd bailed out of bed in the middle of the night and retreated back to his dorm before the awkward morning-after conversation could even begin, but with Rory it was different. From the moment he'd begun getting to know her, he wanted more. He looked forward to their quiet nights together and relished their intimate mornings when they woke up in a tangle of limbs. Logan made eye contact with Chris and spoke surely.

"I'm completely committed to your daughter, sir. There hasn't been anyone else since the night I met her, and there won't be anyone else as long as she'll have me. I've never been more serious about anything in my life," Logan insisted.

Chris studied Logan for a moment and then the look on his face softened.

"You really care about her, don't you?" Chris asked quietly. Logan was aware that every eye in the room was on him, but he still spoke with absolute certainty.

"I'm absolutely crazy about her."


	19. Chapter 19

Rory and Logan returned to campus after Thanksgiving break and were immediately thrown into the whirlwind of finals prep and holiday events. Much to their relief, their families had given them space after their recent announcement as to their dating status - the last thing he wanted was Rory to stress over their families on top of finals. She spent long hours in the library or her dorm studying for her upcoming exams and Logan tried his best to keep her sane and make sure that she wasn't surviving solely on coffee.

He walked in the library just before closing time one night and looked around for Rory. He didn't like her walking home by herself after dark, so he left her in peace to study and then came and walked her to her dorm. He smiled and chuckled to himself as he finally spotted her. She'd fallen asleep with her head on the table. He walked over to her and quietly put her books back in her backpack and slung it over his shoulder. He then bent to kneel next to her.

"Hey, Ace? It's time to go get some sleep, okay?" he asked softly as he rubbed her back.

She began to stir slowly and looked up into Logan's chocolate eyes.

"Where am I?" she asked in confusion.

"You feel asleep in the library; I think you've been hitting the books a little too hard," he teased.

"I need sleep," Rory mumbled.

"Yes, you do. Come on, let's get you back to my room. Lanny is staying at his girlfriend's tonight, so it will be a nice, quiet place for you to sleep," he agreed.

He helped Rory up onto her feet and wrapped his arm around her waist tightly to keep her upright. She was so unsteady on her feet that she may as well be drunk. They slowly made their way to his dorm and he dropped her backpack just inside the front door. She was half asleep on her feet, so he picked her up and carried her into his room. He deposited her on the bed and pulled off her shoes and clothes. He grabbed one of his t-shirts and pulled it over her head and then stripped down to his boxers and joined her. She was already fast asleep, but she still snuggled into him as soon as he laid down and he couldn't help but smile. At some point over the last two months, the playboy had become the teddy bear. He wrapped his arms around Rory and closed his eyes, content to drift off to sleep next to her.

Logan awoke the next morning and was surprised when he looked at the clock. It was after 9:30, and Rory was still in bed next to him. He rolled over and found her shivering in her sleep. He placed his hand on her cheek and recoiled when he felt how hot she was.

"Hey, Ace? Rory? I need you to wake up," he said firmly as he rubbed his hands up and down her arms.

"Hmm?" she asked. "Why's it so cold in here?"

"It isn't cold - I think you're running a fever. I'm going to go grab a thermometer and some Tylenol from the bathroom; I'll be right back."

Logan got up out of bed and padded into the bathroom. At this moment, he was very grateful for the college survival kit Honor had gotten him, partially as a joke. It was filled with bandaids and over-the-counter medications and, most importantly, a thermometer. He grabbed that and the Tylenol and then walked into the kitchen for a bottle of water before returning to his bedroom.

"Here, sit up and put this under your tongue," Logan instructed Rory. She did as she was asked and Logan slipped the thermometer under her tongue. It beeped sixty seconds later and he took it out of her mouth and frowned. Rory's temp was 102.4. He handed her the Tylenol and the bottle of water and watched as she took the medicine and then laid back down.

"Need more blankets," she whined.

Logan got up and went to his dresser for a sweatshirt and a pair of sweats and helped Rory into them before tucking her back into bed.

"How do you feel?" he asked in concern as he stroked her hair. He'd never really had to take care of anyone who was sick before.

"Like I've been run over by a truck. My entire body hurts, and I can barely move," Rory croaked out.

"Maybe I should call your mom and see what I should do? I don't know if you need to go to the doctor, but I think I would feel better if you did."

"Can't - she's in Chicago for a conference. Call Dad," Rory finished softly before closing her eyes and falling back to sleep.

Logan fished Rory's cell phone out of her bag and scrolled through her contacts. He knew that Chris was still a bit weary of him, but now wasn't the time to think about that. Rory was sick and needed him, and he was going to do whatever he could to take care of her. He found Chris's number and hit the call button, praying that he would answer. He'd already decided that if he couldn't get in touch with Chris he would just go ahead and load her up and take her to the doctor himself.

"Hey, Ror. How are you, Kiddo?" Chris asked when he answered the phone.

"Actually, Chris, this is Logan. Rory isn't feeling well and she mentioned that Lorelai was out of town and that I should call you."

"What's going on?" Chris asked, concern evident in his voice. Logan knew that Rory was a daddy's girl.

"She woke up this morning shivering and running a fever - it's over 102. I'm worried about her and think she should probably see a doctor. I gave her some Tylenol and am here with her, but I've never actually taken care of anyone who was sick before," Logan said as he ran his free hand through his hair.

"I'll text you the address of her doctor. Go ahead and get her in the car and I'll meet you there. And Logan?"

"Yes, sir?" Logan asked.

"I'm glad you're there to take care of my baby girl," Chris said before hanging up.


	20. Chapter 20

Logan exhaled in relief when he pulled back up to his dorm later that day. Chris had met them at Rory's doctor in Hartford. After an exam and nasal swab, it was determined that Rory had a particularly nasty case of the flu, probably made worse by her lack of sleep while she was studying. Fortunately, it was reading week, so Rory didn't have any classes until finals started the next week. Logan had picked up her prescriptions for an anti-viral and some cough medicine along with other necessities - plenty of fluids to keep Rory hydrated, soup, Kleenex, cough drops and vitamin C.

Chris met him at his car after he pulled into his parking space. He'd insisted on helping Logan get Rory back to his dorm. Actually, her dad had wanted her to come home to rest and recuperate, but Rory had insisted that she wanted to stay with Logan.

"You get her and I'll get the bags," Chris said when Logan had come around to the passenger side.

"Thanks, Chris. I really appreciate your help."

Rory had fallen asleep again, and the doctor had emphasized how important rest was. Logan hated to wake her, so he handed Chris the keys to his dorm and then scooped her up in his arms and carried her the short distance to his room. He laid her gently in his bed and then returned to the common room, where Chris was putting the juice into the fridge and unpacking the supplies he'd gotten.

"I thought I might run to her dorm and get her some pajamas and her toothbrush, cell phone charger - some necessities. I don't want to leave her alone, though. Do you mind staying with her while I do that?" Logan asked.

"No, not at all. You go ahead and I'll keep an eye on her," Chris replied. It appeared that he had underestimated Logan's dedication and feelings for his daughter, but he could admit when he was wrong.

Logan grabbed Rory's keys and jogged off toward her dorm. He knew that she was well taken care of with her dad there, but he still hated to leave her. He arrived at her room a couple of minutes later and gathered everything that he could think of that she might need and was back in his room less than fifteen minutes after he'd left.

"Whoa, that was quick," Chris chuckled when Logan walked back in his room. "Did you recently master teleportation?"

Logan laughed and shook his head. "No, just wanted to make sure that I was back as quickly as possible. I can't explain it other than to say that the minute she woke up and I saw her lying there shivering, I had this intense need to protect her and take care of her," he admitted sheepishly. He wasn't accustomed to sharing his feelings like that. Hell, he wasn't even used to having feelings like that.

Chris looked up the the young man that reminded him so much of himself when he was in college and smiled. "I know that I haven't been overly-supportive of your relationship with Rory in the past, but you've proven yourself to me. I don't trust many people with my baby girl, but I know she's in good hands with you."

"Thank you, I appreciate that. I want to make sure that you know that I'm not a playboy anymore. I know that I have a reputation, but that changed when I met her," Logan replied softly.

"You know, you and I aren't so different, Logan. I had that reputation too before Lorelai and I met, even though I was much younger. But there's something about meeting a Gilmore girl - those blue eyes just bring you to your knees. I'm pretty sure they could be used to broker world peace," Chris joked.

"Tell me about it, man. I was furious when I found out what my parents were up to at that dinner, but after spending fifteen minutes talking to Rory I was a total goner. She just...she captivated me. There's no other way to explain it. I was all set to play the part of the doting boyfriend in public, but I couldn't help but want to be the real boyfriend all the time. I haven't so much as looked at another girl since I met her."

"You know, Lorelai and I had a long road to travel in order to get to where we are today. It was hard, and sometimes I wanted to give up. I guess what I'm saying is...don't make the mistakes that I made with her. I wasn't ready to grow up yet when we found out we were pregnant at sixteen. I still went out and partied and tried to keep some semblance of my old life, and I almost lost her because of it. If my daughter is really important to you - and I do believe that she is - then don't be stupid like I was. I'm lucky that Lorelai gave me another chance."

"You know, Tristan mentioned something about never wanting to get on Rory's bad side," Logan chuckled. "He said she loves fiercely, but it's hard to regain her trust once it's lost. I have no intention of losing it, though."

"Good, I'm glad. Well, I'd better be getting back to the office. You have my number, right?" Chris asked.

"Yeah, I saved it in my phone earlier," Logan confirmed.

"Good. Drop me texts a couple of times a day to let me know how she's feeling? And let me know if there's anything I can do."

"I'll do that, man. Thank you again for your help today," Logan said gratefully as he got up to walk Chris to the door.

"It was nothing. Thank you for taking care of my girl, Logan. You're a good man," Chris said before leaving.

Logan shut the door behind Chris and smiled. Who would have thought that Rory having the flu would be the key to him finally gaining Chris's approval and acceptance of their relationship.


	21. Chapter 21

Logan woke with a start when he felt Rory stirring in bed next to him two days later. She'd spent most of the last couple of days asleep, between the effects of having the flu and taking the cough medicine that the doctor had prescribed.

"Hey, how are you feeling there, Ace?" he asked groggily. He hadn't left her side since she'd gotten sick, checking in often with Chris to let him know how Rory was feeling. Lorelai had teased them both about rushing her to the doctor for something as minor as the flu, but they'd done what they thought was necessary in the moment.

"A little more human. I think I might actually get out of bed today," Rory answered.

"Don't go getting all crazy there. I think we can spend some time on the couch, but you still need to take it easy if you're going to be feeling better for finals next week," Logan reminded her.

"I know - it's not like I'm going to start tap dancing or anything. I just want to get out of bed. Maybe watch some television or movies on the couch or something - just a little change of scenery."

"We can definitely do that. Are you hungry?" Logan asked.

"Yeah, I actually am. Maybe some toast, or a muffin?" asked Rory. "Ooh, and some coffee!"

"Orange juice first, Ace - you need the vitamin C. Then I'll get you some coffee," Logan said as he got up out of bed and slid on some pajama pants and a t-shirt. He was standing in the middle of the kitchen, getting breakfast ready, when Rory walked in and joined him.

"Thank you for taking such great care of me, Logan. This is really - well, you didn't have to drop everything, but I really appreciate that you did," Rory whispered when he'd turned around to look at her.

"There's nowhere else I'd rather be, Rory. You've become really important to me over the last two months. When you got so sick so quickly, it scared me. I just knew that I had to help you and take care of you even though I had no idea how to do either of those."

"I'd say you absolutely know how to take care of me. You've been nothing short of amazing," she said, cuddling into his arms and laying her head on his chest. He bent down and kissed the top of her head and closed his eyes, enjoying the moment.

"What can I say, you bring out the best of me," he said with a laugh.

"You don't give yourself enough credit, Logan," she objected.

"And I say _you_ don't give _yourself_ enough credit. I wasn't this man before you were in my life, Rory."

"Yes, you were. You just needed someone to help you see it," she whispered, leaning up to kiss him on the cheek.

"And you are the amazing woman just did just that."

"I'm going to have to take your word for it," she said, grabbing her glass of juice and muffin and moving to the couch. Logan followed her and picked up the remote, turning on the news. They sat there on the couch, her feet in his lap, as they watched the news and shared the newspaper. He took the business and sports sections while she read the front page and arts and entertainment.

They both looked up in surprise as the door opened and Colin and Finn walked in.

"What are you guys doing here?" Logan asked.

"Well, mate, you seem to have gone off the grid the last couple of days, so we wanted to check on you, but judging from this picture of domesticity I'd say you're doing just fine," Finn smirked, eyeing Logan.

"What's that supposed to mean, Finn?" Logan asked exasperatedly.

"Just that I now see where you've been - playing house with Reporter Girl here," Finn continued to tease, seeing just how far he could push his friend.

"We're not playing house. She's sick, and I've been taking care of her," Logan explained.

"And that's different from playing house how, exactly? Because from here, it looks quite cozy," Colin chimed in.

"This from the two eternal bachelors? That's rich," Logan scoffed, still wondering exactly what point his friends were trying to make.

"Is that supposed to be an insult? Because I have to tell you, I have absolutely no complaints. Plenty of lovely ladies whenever I'd like - I'd say that's pretty damn ideal," retorted Finn.

"You keep thinking that. All I know is that I'm an extremely happy man. This finding one woman who makes you happy and committing to her thing? Well, I'd say I don't know why I resisted so long, but I do know. I just hadn't found the right woman until a couple of months ago. I'm telling you guys - having someone like Rory in your life is amazing," he said passionately, reaching over and entwining their fingers.

"The next thing you know, you'll be telling us you're in love and moving in with her," Colin said with a laugh, but he didn't miss the serious look when Logan's eyes shot up. Logan's eyes shifted between Colin and Rory as he blushed furiously. "Wait, you love her?!" Colin exclaimed loudly as he watched on in interest.

"I...this really isn't a conversation for right now," Logan said evasively, desperately wishing his two best friends weren't there at the moment. "Rory has been sick, so she really needs to rest," he finished, hoping to hurry Colin and Finn back out the door.

"I think we both know that we're not wanted here right now, Mate," Finn said to Colin. "Let's leave our boy here alone with his girl - I think they have some talking to do."

Finn ushered Colin to the door, and after a quick goodbye Rory and Logan were once again alone.

"I'm so sorry about them," Logan said, trying desperately to ease the tension that had mounted in the room.

"No, it's okay. You don't have anything to explain," Rory tried to reassure him.

"That's the thing, though - I really do. They weren't wrong, Rory. I...I do love you," Logan whispered. "I've never said that to anyone before, except for my sister, but I'm sure of it. And I had actually already decided to talk to you about moving in together before next semester."

Rory stared at him, mouth agape, at a complete loss for words.

"Come on, Ace - don't leave me hanging," he said with a small smile, hoping he hadn't just made a huge mistake.


	22. Chapter 22

"You...you love me? And you want to live together? Logan, that's serious. Are you sure?" Rory asked.

"You know, I had kind of hoped that the first time I told a girl that I loved her, it would have gone a little better. You almost sound spooked," Logan said, obviously concerned about the turn the conversation had taken. It was quiet for a minute, and he took a deep breath. "Come on, Ace. Talk to me - what's going through your head?"

"I'm just a little surprised. I didn't expect to hear those words from you, especially after only a few months. It's a bit surreal - one of the biggest playboys of Yale is sitting here taking care of me while I'm sick, he tells me he loves me, and he wants to live with me. I'm...are you sure I'm not delusional from running a fever?" she teased, finally smiling.

"Nope, you're fever-free," Logan replied with a chuckle. "I can always repeat it, if that would help you believe it. Or we can forget I said anything and have this conversation again sometime down the road when you're ready for it."

"No! No, that's not...that's not what I want at all. You know, it's funny, I've never been able to tell a guy that I loved him right away. My first boyfriend told me that he loved me and when I couldn't say it back he broke up with me. Then I never could tell Jess that I loved him until after we'd broken up - or actually, he left without a word, and I told him that I had loved him. It's just...I don't do well under pressure, and I always second guess myself," Rory rambled.

Logan leaned over and kissed her, and he smiled as he felt her relax.

"Sorry about that. I'm a bit of a mess. It doesn't help that I don't feel like myself from being sick. But Logan...I...I love you, too. I - "

Suddenly, she was cut off by Logan's lips on hers once again. The kiss was full of passion and tenderness and need, and it took her breath away.

"You love me," he whispered, nuzzling into her neck and kissing it softly.

"Yeah, I really do. You know, your parents and my grandparents aren't going to be happy about us living together. We're going to get lectures about how it just isn't proper and they're going to go on and on about what people will say."

"Yeah, I know, but we'll - wait! Does that mean you're saying yes?" he asked with a smile.

"That means I'm saying yes. We spend every night together already, so it makes sense, and it would be so nice to have our own place. Maybe we can start looking for a place this week? I'm feeling better, and we need to be settled before the new semester starts in January. With our trip coming up, that doesn't leave much time," Rory said, already making lists in her head.

"This is going to be amazing, Ace! You're not going to regret it, I promise," Logan told her. "Let's get the laptop and we can start looking at places online now, maybe try to narrow it down to a few to see in person?"

"That sounds perfect," she agreed.

Logan walked into the kitchen and got them each a cup of coffee and then brought the laptop into the living room and joined Rory on the couch. She snuggled into his side and covered up with a blanket as he opened his browser and began pulling up apartment listings near Yale.

"So, Ace, what's important to us in our apartment?" he asked.

"Hmm...you and me both living there," Rory joked.

"I think that's a given, crazy woman. What else?"

"Maybe two bedrooms, so we can use one as a study and also put a bed in there in case we need a guest room? And I'd like a large master bedroom with a walk-in closet and bathroom with two sinks," Rory mused aloud.

"I'd like a large chef's kitchen and an open floor plan for the main living area," Logan added. "It would also be nice to have a gym."

"A gym? What would we need that for?" Rory teased.

"Hey, some of us work hard to look good. We don't all have the incredible genes that you have," Logan said with a laugh.

"Fine, but don't expect me to go to the gym with you," Rory conceded.

"I wouldn't dare, Ace," Logan chuckled. "Hey, look at this loft. It's perfect - a nice, big bedroom, spacious, open floor plan, fireplace in the living room, huge walk-in closet. What do you think?" he asked as he clicked through the pictures.

"It's gorgeous. I can actually see us living there," Rory agreed. "Can we make an appointment to look at it?"

"Of course, babe. I'll call the realtor and set up an appointment as soon as possible. Are you sure you feel up to getting out to look at it?"

"Yeah, I really am feeling much better. I'm a bit tired, but that won't be a problem," replied Rory.

Logan pulled out his cell phone and made a quick call to the realtor, setting an appointment to view the apartment later that day. After he hung up his phone, he turned back to Rory and immediately noticed the serious look on her face.

"What's going on in that pretty head of yours, Ace?" he asked.

"I'm just...how are we going to get our families on board enough with us living together that they don't fight us or make it impossible? I mean, they control our trust funds."

"I think winning your parents over will be the hardest thing we have to do. My parents and your grandparents won't be thrilled that we're living together, but they're all hoping to see an eventual union of our families through us getting married, so I don't think they'll put up too much of a fuss. Us moving in together is just one step closer to their dynastic plan coming together," replied Logan.

"And you're okay with that? With going along with their plan?" she asked.

"I wouldn't be if it was with anyone else, but with the woman I love, absolutely."


	23. Chapter 23

Rory and Logan walked into the lobby of the luxury apartment building later that afternoon and were immediately greeted by the leading agent.

"You must be Logan and Rory. I'm Claire. It's lovely to meet you both. Shall we go take a look at the apartment?" she asked as she walked over and greeted them.

"Thank you for meeting with us on such short notice," Logan said as he shook Claire's hand.

Claire led the young couple into the elevator and pressed the button for the top floor. "This apartment is on the tenth floor, and you have access to the rooftop. It has a lovely sitting area and a beautiful view of New Haven. It's reserved for those on the tenth floor, and there are only two apartments on that level," Claire explained.

"Will we be able to see that area today?" Rory asked.

"Of course! I'll make sure that you get to see the entire building so you can make an informed decision. There's a gym on the ground floor, and the front desk is manned around-the-clock. I think you'll love the layout of the apartment as well," Claire said as they walked out of the elevator and she unlocked the front door.

Logan and Rory stepped into the apartment and Rory immediately smiled and reached out for Logan's hand. He looked over at her and his heart warmed as he watched her eyes sparkle as she looked around the apartment.

"I'll let you two look around the apartment and will meet you out on the balcony when you're finished," Claire said, leaving Rory and Logan to look around in peace.

As soon as they were alone, Rory turned to Logan. "This place is beautiful," she whispered. "The fireplace, the built-in bookcases, the view. I love it."

"You haven't even seen the whole apartment yet, Ace," Logan chuckled.

"Well, if it's anything like what I have seen I'm going to love it," she assured him.

They walked into the kitchen together and Logan pointed out the high-end appliances, the beautiful granite countertops and the large island. "This place would be perfect for entertaining our friends or families," he commented.

"I can see our Christmas tree right over in that corner," Rory said, pointing toward a corner of the living room, "and our stockings hung above the fireplace. We could hang lights on the balcony, too."

"Slow down there, Ace. We'll barely be moved in before Christmas, and almost as quickly as we could move in we'll be leaving for our trip."

Rory pouted and turned to face him. "You know, we could always cancel our trip and not tell our families that we're staying in town. We could get settled into our new apartment and just enjoy some quiet time together," she suggested. "We were taking your family's jet, and the hotel can still be cancelled at this point."

Logan pulled her into his arms and kissed her. "I'll make you a deal. Let's finish looking at the rest of the apartment and decide if we really want to live here before making any decisions about vacation. I would love nothing more than to hide away in our new place with you, but we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves."

"Fine, have it your way," she teased, rolling her eyes at him.

He shook his head at her antics and followed her into the master bedroom. She looked around the large room that had plenty of natural light and then walked into the master bathroom. The minute she saw the large garden tub, the huge shower, the double vanity and the huge walk-in closets, she was sold. "Look at this bathroom, Logan!" she exclaimed excitedly.

"It isn't any nicer than the bathroom at your parents' house in Hartford," he said with a laugh.

"No, but it is much nicer than the bathrooms in our dorms. Look at that bathtub and shower - there's room for both of us in them!"

"You know just what to say to get me to say yes to this apartment, don't you?" Logan growled jokingly. "Now I'm picturing us in the shower together."

"Hmm...is it working? Am I winning you over?" she teased.

"I love the apartment, Ace, so you don't have to win me over. This place is absolutely perfect for our first home together," he replied softly.

"Look at you - Mr. Playboy is talking about starter homes and the future," she giggled.

"Is that a problem? Because I can stop," he offered teasingly.

"Don't you dare! I love it," Rory replied, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him gently. "I think it's sweet that you're already thinking ahead."

Logan led Rory into the second bedroom and the guest bathroom and then they walked out onto the balcony and met Claire.

"Did you two have any questions about the apartment?" Claire asked.

"No, but I would like to see the rooftop area," Logan reminded her.

"Of course! There's a staircase only accessible from this floor that will take us to the roof. Just follow me," Claire said.

They followed Claire up the flight of stairs and through the door onto the rooftop. Logan looked around and smiled. It had a beautiful view of New Haven - you could actually see the Yale campus from up here - and was quite cozy and inviting. He looked over at Rory and noticed her shivering.

"You cold, Ace?" he asked.

"Just a bit. I left my coat in the apartment," Rory replied.

"Well, I think we've seen enough up here. I'm sure that it would be great during warmer weather. Let's head back down to the apartment and talk," Logan replied, opening the door for Rory. They walked back downstairs and Claire turned to them.

"So, what do you think of the place?" she asked, looking back and forth between Rory and Logan.

Logan looked to Rory and she nodded slightly and squeezed his hand. He turned back to Claire with a smile. "We love it. We'll take it, and we'd like to move in as soon as possible since we're starting winter break."

"Wonderful! Let's go back down to my office and take care of paperwork. We're happy to have such a prominent couple here in our building," she replied happily.


	24. Chapter 24

"How should we break the news to our families, Ace?" Logan asked as they walked back into her dorm room. They'd signed their lease and gotten the keys to their new apartment, their prominent last names helping expedite the process.

"Maybe get them all together for dinner and rip it off like a bandaid?" she suggested. "Perhaps having them all in the same room will make them behave."

"I think it's worth a shot. And you're sure about this even if they cause a scene and fight us?"

"Yeah, I'm absolutely certain," Rory said with a smile. She crossed the room to where Logan was standing and wrapped her arms around him. She reached up and kissed him and then laid her head on his shoulder. "When do you want to start moving?"

"Well, we could always go ahead and move our things in and then tell the families the news," Logan said with a sly smile. "They can hardly argue then, right?"

"You know, I think that's an excellent idea! Today is Thursday. Think we could be moved in by Sunday afternoon? We could get everyone together Sunday evening for dinner."

"I'll call the guys and we'll make it happen. We need to buy some furniture, though. Do you feel up to going shopping tomorrow morning? We'll need a bed and couch and...well, lots of things, really," Logan said, making a mental list. Neither of their dorms had kitchens and they'd both brought minimal household items with them. They really needed to completely furnish the place.

"I think this calls for a trip to IKEA - we'd better plan on spending the better part of the day tomorrow there," Rory beamed. She loved going there.

"Oh, no. Are you sure we can't pay someone to go shopping for us?" Logan teased.

"I'm pretty sure. Invite the other two stooges along if you'd like - we'll need the comic relief, help pushing the carts, and we'll definitely need more than one vehicle. We have a lot of shopping to do, mister!"

"It's a good thing I love you so much," Logan joked, kissing her gently. He pulled her down onto the couch and she snuggled into his chest. She didn't think she would ever get tired of the feelings she elicited in her. She felt so calm and peaceful, so at home, when she was in his arms.

"Just think - we'll get to go to bed together in _our_ bed every night and wake up next to each other every morning. There won't be any shuffling things back and forth or deciding where to stay. We'll share a home," Rory said softly.

"We will. It's going to be pretty great," replied Logan.

"Yeah, it is," she said with a smile. "Now, I have a very important question. This could be make-or-break, so answer carefully," she warned teasingly.

"Alright, I'm ready. Hit me with it," he replied, trying to stifle his laugh at the serious look that she had on her face.

"Can we make some lists of what we need to do and buy?" she asked, batting her eyelashes.

Logan let out a deep belly laugh. "Well, I do know how making lists gets you all hot and bothered," he joked. "Go get your pen and paper, Ace." She stood up excitedly and he patted her on the butt, laughing at her enthusiasm. While she was off getting list-making supplies he picked up his phone and sent off a text to Colin and Finn, asking them if they'd be available the next day for what was sure to end up being an epic trip to IKEA. She returned a minute later and sat down next to him, her feet curled under her and the pad of paper sitting on her lap.

"So, I'm thinking that we need one list of things that we need to do, and another list of things we need to buy. We also need to pack all of our things, although really that shouldn't take too long given that we live in dorm rooms. I'll have some things from my parents' house that I'll want to get too, but we obviously can't do that until we've told them the news," Rory ranted in true Gilmore girl style. Logan leaned over and kissed her soundly to get her to stop for a minute. He smiled as he pulled away and saw the dazed smile on her face.

"Slow down there, Ace. We'll get it all taken care of together," he promised. "We have all weekend, and then next week we only have our finals and then we're off for winter break. We'll be all settled in with all of your precious books in their new home before the next semester starts."

At just that moment, his phone went off with a notification. He looked at his phone and then turned back to Rory. "Colin and Finn are up to tag along tomorrow, although they have no idea that we'll be doing. What would you say to meeting them at the pub tonight to share the news? It might be nice to talk to people who will be excited for us before we meet with our families."

"I think that sounds like a perfect idea," Rory agreed. "Go ahead and tell them that we'll meet them for dinner tonight."

Logan tapped out a quick text about dinner and then put his phone back down on the table next to them. "Alright, now let's tend to your lists, my cute little planner," he chuckled, noticing her excitement as she labeled a piece of paper for each list they needed to make.

They spent the next couple of hours making meticulous lists of things to do, to buy, and to pack from their family homes in Hartford. They stopped only long enough for Logan to call the utility companies to have them put into their names and call the cable company to make an appointment for the installation. Once their minds were thoroughly exhausted from all of their list-making and planning, Logan took the pen and paper and set them down on the coffee table.

"Alright, that's enough for now. Come on, let's get ready to go meet the boys for dinner," he said firmly. "We've done enough for today."

They changed and got ready to go meet Colin and Finn, and as Logan looked over at Rory he couldn't believe his luck. This beautiful woman loved him - not for his money or his name, but just for him - and they were going to live together. He almost needed to pinch himself.


	25. Chapter 25

"Can you please do...something about your friends?!" Rory asked exasperatedly. Finn and Colin were running amuck in IKEA, driving both Rory and Logan insane. They'd picked out furniture first and had already paid for it and arranged delivery for the next day. Logan had offered a very generous cash incentive to the delivery guys for them to stay and put the furniture together, which they had happily accepted. Now they were wrangling Finn and Colin as they walked from aisle-to-aisle and picked up all of the household items they would need.

"Sure, give me a minute," Logan said as he walked away. Rory had shown the patience of a saint so far today, and he really didn't want his friends to push her over the edge. He approached the two men and chuckled as he saw Finn standing there with a colander on his head.

"Hey, boys. Listen, Rory and I are doing really well here. I know you're both getting restless, so I was thinking you two could call Robert to come get you and leave me your SUV to drive home. Rory and I will finish up here, and you three can go to the pub and have some drinks," he offered hopefully.

Finn's eyes snapped up at the mention of a drink and he smiled broadly. "What are you waiting for?" he asked Colin. "Call good 'ole Robert and let's go!" Finn reached into his pocket for the keys and threw them to Logan and then sprinted toward the exit, throwing a fifty dollar bill toward the cashier to pay for his colander as he left.

Logan shook his head and chuckled - there was never a dull moment with Finn around.

"I'd better go make sure he doesn't run out into the street," Colin said with a laugh. "We'll catch you guys later."

Logan watched Colin walk out after Finn and then walked back over to his girlfriend. "They're going to call Robert to come pick them up and all head to the pub for drinks."

"You are amazing!" Rory squealed. "Thank you so much for getting them out of here."

"It's no problem, Ace," Logan chuckled. "Frankly, I don't know what the hell we were thinking when we invited them along today."

"We were thinking that we would need some help; we didn't stop to consider that they'd be more like our children than two grown men," Rory admitted with a laugh.

"Never have truer words been spoken. Now, let's finish our shopping here and we can take all of this stuff to the new apartment. It would be nice to get most of it put away before the furniture and the movers show up tomorrow."

"Alright, let's finish this up and get out of here," she agreed. They finished off the last several aisles at the home super store before proceeding to the checkout to make their purchases. Half an hour and a good chunk of money later, they loaded their purchases into the two SUVs and took the short drive back to their new apartment.

When they arrived at their apartment building, Logan went in the building and asked to borrow a cart to bring their bags in, and he reappeared a few minutes later with two carts and the concierge who had offered to help them bring their purchases inside. After a few trips up to their penthouse apartment, everything was finally inside and Logan closed the door joined Rory in the middle of the living room floor. She was lying there on her back, her arms spread wide and her eyes closed.

"What are you thinking?" he asked as he sprawled out next to her.

"That moving is exhausting," she said with a laugh.

"This isn't even moving yet, Ace. This is just shopping," he chuckled.

"Ugh, don't remind me!"

"Hey, look on the bright side - neither of us are poor college students, so we're paying people to do most of the hard work for us," he said with a smile.

"Thank goodness for that! I don't know if I've ever been so grateful that both of our families are wealthy. I guess we'd better get busy putting things away, huh?"

"I'm afraid so, dear. Come on, let's go." Logan stood up and offered Rory his hand to help her up. He pulled her up and right into his waiting arms, smiling as she leaned in and kissed him tenderly. He moaned as she deepened the kiss and then pulled back and held her at arm's length. "No way, missy. You're not going to distract me from the work we need to do," he chuckled.

Rory stuck her lower lip out in a pout and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Are you sure about that?" she asked as she kissed his neck and behind his ear.

"I thought I was…" he replied breathlessly. "But then you started doing...oh god." Logan threw his head back back and closed his eyes as he enjoyed the feelings she was eliciting in him. Their bodies were pressed together closely as she kissed him and slipped her hands into his back pockets, pulling his body flush against her.

She pulled back momentarily and looked at him - completely dazed and turned on. "I thought we could christen our apartment, but if you'd rather put things away…" she trailed off.

His eyes snapped open and he growled as he pulled her back into his arms. "I think the putting things away can wait - we have more pressing matters now," he said as he pulled her close to him again and ran his hands up her sides, enjoying the feel of her curves under his hands.

"Only if you're sure. I wouldn't want to put us behind schedule," she teased.

"Oh no, missy. You're not backing out now. You started this, woman," he said with a laugh. He threw her over his shoulder and walked to their bedroom, which was still without furniture, and laid her down gently on the floor. "Here's to celebrating our first home together," he whispered as he lowered himself next to her.


	26. Chapter 26

Rory looked around their apartment nervously as she absentmindedly straightened and rearranged things. They'd invited their families to come over for dinner and had barely managed to dodge questions about the strange address or what was going on. Colin, Finn, and Steph had stepped up to the plate and helped them get their apartment unpacked and decorated in record time, much to Rory and Logan's surprise. Logan had never seen Finn and Colin so focused and on-task. Rory was pulled out of her thoughts when she felt Logan's arms wrapping around her.

"Everything looks great, Ace. Take a deep breath and relax," he said soothingly as he pulled her toward him.

"I'm just nervous about what they'll all say," Rory whispered.

"I know you are, and honestly, we both know that they're not going to be thrilled about us living together, but we'll get through it together Regardless of their feelings on us shacking up, they'll be thrilled that our relationship is serious. And no amount of fluffing pillows is going to make this go any better," he teased.

"And here I thought you were being sweet," she replied with an eye roll.

"You know me - a little sweet and a little bit of a rebel. That's why you love me."

"Hmm...you may be right there." She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him tenderly, but it quickly turned passionate. They broke apart a minute later when they heard a knock on the front door.

"We'll finish that after everyone leaves," Logan said huskily. He took Rory's hand and walked toward the door. "Remember, no matter what they say, we're happy and we're going to wake up next to each other every morning."

"You're right - they can't change that," she agreed. "And we are deliriously happy. Let's do this."

Logan smiled over at Rory and kissed her quickly and then reached out and opened the door. It appeared that everyone had arrived at the same time, because the Huntzbergers, Haydens and Gilmores were all standing out in the hall trying to figure out what was going on.

"We're glad you all could make it. Please, come in," Logan said with a smile, trying to look more confident about this evening than he felt, if for no other reason than to help reassure Rory. He was accustomed to being at odds with his family, but he didn't want this to cause problems for her. He desperately wanted to shelter her from all of the possible negative effects of their decision.

"Logan, Rory. Very nice of you to invite us to this strange building that you seem to be hosting dinner at," Mitchum boomed critically.

"Everyone come in and have a seat. We'll get your drinks and then we can discuss this strange building," Logan encouraged them all.

They all made themselves comfortable on the large, comfortable sectionals Rory and Logan had chosen to furnish the room. Rory and Logan brought them all drinks and then moved over to the large, oversized chair Rory had chosen. She slipped her shoes off and curled up next to Logan and tucked her feet under her. He slipped his arm around her shoulder and smiled down at her.

Mitchum cleared his throat. "We're all seated with our drinks."

"Right. Rory and I invited you all here tonight because we have some news to share," Logan began.

"Logan and I have grown to love spending time together - or more accurately, you could say that we've grown to love each other - over the last couple of months, and we decided that we want to live together. This is our new apartment," Rory rushed out.

Logan saw the emotions playing out on their faces and quickly jumped in. "Rory and I know that none of you will be thrilled about us living together outside of marriage, but we are very happy with our decision. Ultimately, this change also serves your purposes well; Rory and I living together will certainly send the message that our families are united."

Rory and Logan's families sat there staring at them open-mouthed, unsure of what to say. Lorelai spoke first.

"Can I just...can I talk to you alone, Ror?" she asked.

Rory nodded and stood from her spot and led her mom into their bedroom. Lorelai closed the door behind them and looked at Rory. "I'm trying really hard to be the cool mom here, kiddo. I just...are you sure about this?"

"I'm so sure, Mom. It's just right. I can't explain it, but when I'm with him I feel safe and loved, and I love how he challenges me. I think he's the one," Rory said quietly, wrapping her arms around herself as she spoke.

"You really love him, huh?" Lorelai said with a smile. "I've been there, sweets. When I first met your dad, that's what it felt like. I still get butterflies when he walks in the room. If you're happy, I'm happy for you and will support you. Don't worry about your dad; I'll handle him."

"Really?" Rory asked hopefully.

"Really. Now, onto other topics. Your apartment is beautiful. You two have already made the place your own."

"Thank you, Mom. I love every single part of it. We've spent the last several days buying furniture and other things we need, moving, unpacking, and getting settled. It already feels like home," Rory confided.

"I have a feeling that has less to do with the apartment and more to do with who you're sharing it with."

"Yeah, you're right," Rory admitted quietly.

"Well, we'd better get out here before his parents and your grandparents have a fit. There's no telling how they'll react to this news. You'd be better off telling them you're engaged," Lorelai teased.

"Let's not rush things," Rory chuckled.

She and Lorelai walked back into the living room to find Logan's parents, Rory's grandparents and Chris all arguing loudly.

"What's going on?" Rory asked loudly, and everyone stopped talking and looked at her. "I leave the room for five minutes and I come back to complete chaos."

"We were just discussing this newest development. You know that this isn't the proper way to do things, Rory," Richard chided.

"Richard, Mitchum, perhaps the four of us could speak privately?" Shira suggested.

"Sure, we'll just go show Chris and Lorelai the rooftop garden," Logan answered quickly, desperate to get out of the room for a few minutes. Rory had definitely missed the worst of it, and he was grateful for that, but he could also stand to hear a bit less. He took Rory's hand and they led Chris and Lorelai upstairs to the beautiful rooftop. Logan switched on the heaters and they all sat down and looked out at the skyline.

Lorelai looked over at Chris and noticed that he still looked agitated. "Chris, sweetie, Rory and I talked. You remember how in love we were when we first met, how in love we were? How we just knew it was right? Our baby has found that."

"So we're okay with this?" Chris asked.

"We're happy for them, not just okay with this," Lorelai corrected.

Chris looked back and forth between Lorelai and Rory's pleading faces and sighed. "Those eyes should be illegal. Fine, we're happy for them." He turned his attention toward Logan. "You'd better treat her right, though," he warned.

"Absolutely, sir. I love your daughter, and I would do anything to make her happy," Logan promised.

"How are we going to handle this?" Mitchum asked gruffly, obviously irritated.

"We're going to smile and play nice and use this to help us get them to agree to becoming engaged when Logan graduates. There's no sense in causing a fuss; they've obviously already made their decision and aren't looking for our approval. Now we just capitalize on getting what we want out of this contact," Shira said firmly.

"I think Shira is right. We can certainly use this to our advantage. Now, if you two will excuse us, I want to nose around the rest of the apartment," Emily added.

She and Shira stood up from the sectional and began looking around the apartment, commenting as they went. They walked into Logan and Rory's bathroom. Emily saw the items sitting out on the counter and smiled to Shira.

"It would be a shame if they found themselves pregnant and had to get engaged," Emily said with a calculating smile.

"What are you...oh!" Shira said as her eyes fell to where Emily was looking. "Indeed it would." Shira picked up Rory's birth control pack and slid it into the pocket on her sweater. "Now, let's go enjoy dinner with the kids."


	27. Chapter 27

At home alone once again, Rory and Logan cuddled up together on the couch and turned on the newest episode of The Office after cleaning the kitchen together. It was their favorite guilty pleasure to watch each new episode, and they always waited until they were together to watch it. Toward the end of the episode, Rory's cell phone rang. She looked at the display and quickly answered it.

"Hi, Grandpa. I didn't expect to hear from you so soon. Is everything okay?" she asked quickly.

"Yes, dear, everything is fine, or it will be. Listen, I overheard your grandmother and Shira talking when they thought I was in my study. It seems that they may have taken your birth control pills with them in hopes of you and Logan getting pregnant. I know that I have encouraged your relationship and put pressure on you, but I certainly don't want you to find yourself pregnant unexpectedly," Richard explained quickly.

Rory could feel her cheeks reddening and wanted to climb under a rock. Talking about her birth control with her grandpa was mortifying.

"Umm...thank you, Grandpa. I appreciate you letting me know what's going on. I'm actually not taking those anymore - I'm using something else," she quickly interjected, not wanting him to think they weren't using birth control, "but Steph must have set them out when she unpacked the bathroom for us."

"Very well then, dear. Your secret is safe from the meddling women; I won't breathe a word of it to them. I must say, though, it would be quite amusing for you to act as though you aren't feeling well the next time you see them," Richard chuckled.

"And that's what I love about you, Grandpa."

"I love you too, dear. Have a good night," Richard said before hanging up.

Rory set her cell phone down and buried her head in Logan's chest. "That was my grandpa. Apparently your mother and my grandmother decided to try to help our relationship along the way by snatching my birth control pills from the bathroom. Steph didn't realize that I'm on the shot now when she unpacked," Rory explained. "I never want to discuss birth control with my grandfather again."

"I shouldn't be surprised by that, but I still am," Logan admitted. "And I'm sorry that you had to discuss birth control with Richard," he finished with a chuckle.

"He suggested that I act like I haven't been feeling well the next time we see them to mess with Grandma and Shira," Rory admitted with a chuckle.

"I like the way Richard thinks. We definitely need to do that; it will be hilarious to watch them fall over themselves trying to figure out if you're pregnant."

"Why would they do that?" Rory wondered out loud.

"My guess is that they figure if you get pregnant then we'll have to get married. They've made it no secret that is their end game."

"Yeah well, they're going to be sorely disappointed. That's one thing I love about the shot - I don't have to remember to swallow a pill at the same time every day. I can't believe that they're trying to push us into marriage!" Rory ranted.

"Really? Because I can. I would bet my trust fund that they have every intention of us being engaged by the time I graduate and married the minute you graduate," he replied with a chuckle.

"Okay, you're right. I totally can believe it, but still. It makes me want to spite them and just run off and get married before you graduate to cut them off at the pass," she spouted off before she even realized what she was saying.

Logan's eyes shot up to meet hers and he smiled warmly. "You know, that could be arranged," he offered. "I graduate in about seventeen months; assuming that we still feel the same way then we could sneak off and get married before my graduation. We could take your parents as witnesses, since they're really the only ones who actually support what we want, and come back and surprise them all," he said with a twinkle in his eyes.

"I never took you to be such a planner, Huntzberger," she teased lightly, thinking over his words.

"I wasn't until I met a certain blue-eyed brunette. She brings out the best in me. I mean, I go to classes and study now, I'm a committed man, and I've learned the beauty of monogamy."

Rory turned and straddled his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. "What do you want to marry me for anyway?" she teased, quoting her favorite movie.

"So I can kiss you whenever I want to," he smirked before finding her lips with his. He pulled back and looked into her blue eyes. "And because I'd be the luckiest man in the world if I got to spend the rest of my life like this."

"You know we could spend every day of our lives just like this," she replied with a laugh. "We'd have to actually get off the couch and be adults sometimes."

"You're right. I could work side-by-side with my sexy wife during the day, running Huntzberger Publishing Group, and then come home and ravish her every night. Then someday, when the time is right for us, we could add a couple of little Huntzbergers, just as long as we act a lot more like your parents than mine."

Rory looked into his brown eyes and melted a little. "You sound like you've given that quite a bit of thought," she whispered as she scooted closer to him and began kissing his neck.

"Mmm...that's because I have," Logan groaned. "There's no one else I'd want that with, Rory. There's no one else I'd share my life with."

"You're the only one I want that with too, Logan," she said softly.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah," she sighed.

"Consider it the official plan then, Ace. Now, I do believe that I told you that we would pick up where we were when everyone arrived," he teased lightly.

Rory stood up and reached out her hand toward him. "What are you waiting for, Huntzberger?" she teased. "Let's go!"

"Yes, ma'am!" he agreed as he jumped up and took her hand. "Let me show you just how much I love you."


	28. Chapter 28

"You ready to have some fun?" Logan asked with a wry chuckle as he and Rory stood at the door to the Huntzberger mansion. His parents had put together a small dinner party with themselves, the Haydens, and the Gilmores to celebrate Rory and Logan's new living arrangements. Emily and Shira had called in a tizzy about a week after the dinner at Rory and Logan's apartment and insisted that their "more permanent commitment" to each other needed to be celebrated. Rory and Logan managed to put them off long enough to be able to get their revenge on the meddling Shira and Emily. They had plotted with Lorelai, Christopher, and Richard to put a plan into place.

"I'm ready for anything as long as I'm by your side," Rory replied with a saucy wink toward Logan.

He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss. "I'll always be by your side," he whispered. He then opened the door and gently led her into the house he grew up in but visited as seldom as possible. Frankly, he'd already become closer to Chris and Lorelai than he was to his own parents.

He stopped and handed their coats off to the maid, thanking her before he and Rory walked into the sitting room to begin their evening with the families.

"Oh, there you two are!" Shira gushed. "Do come and sit. Mitchum, can you get the kids drinks? I assume a scotch for Logan and a martini for Rory?" she asked, eyeing Rory.

"Oh, no martini for me, thank you. I'd better stick to a club soda, but thank you. I'm afraid I'll be even more nauseated if I drink."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, dear. Have you been feeling unwell long?" Emily asked, exchanging a look with Shira.

"Just the last few days. It seems to be at its worst in the mornings and right after eating," Rory replied, leading their thoughts right where she wanted them to go.

"The only thing that seems to help is fruit...she's actually been craving apples," Logan added, knowing that Emily would immediately connect that with Lorelai's cravings while she was pregnant.

"Oh my, I'm so sorry," Shira cooed, almost making Rory start laughing. This was just too easy.

"You know, kiddo, I couldn't eat enough apples when I was pregnant with you," Lorelai threw in, knowing that Shira wouldn't have any way to know that otherwise.

"I remember that," Chris chuckled. "I'd never seen you eat one before you got pregnant, and I haven't seen you eat another since she was born."

"Fruit is not food," Lorelai deadpanned, causing everyone to laugh.

"I do believe dinner is ready. Shall we move to the table?" Mitchum asked, completely in the dark about the importance of the conversation going on.

The group all proceeded to the dining room where Rory continued to play along with their little ruse, picking at her food and claiming that the smells were too much for her. In truth, she had eaten a double cheeseburger, chili cheese fries, a piece of pie, and a shake from Luke's before coming to the Huntzbergers'. They had all agreed that she would never be able to pull off her act if she was hungry.

They'd been sitting at the table long enough for everyone to be into their meals when Rory suddenly jumped up and rushed to the guest restroom.

"Pardon me," Logan said as he folded his napkin and placed it on the table. "I need to go check on her." He left the table quickly, feigning concern over Rory's state, and joined her in the restroom.

"I can't believe them - they're buying it," Rory giggled quietly after they'd locked the door behind them.

"How long do you think it will take for one of them to slip up and admit what they did?" Logan asked.

"I don't know. I think I'm going to have to push further. Maybe I should claim I'm feeling better now and asked for that martini so we can watch them both freak out."

"Beautiful and brilliant, Ace," Logan chuckled.

"It's in my genes," she laughed.

"I'd like to be in your jeans right about now," he growled, pulling her close and kissing her passionately.

"Down, boy. You can charm me out of my skirt when we get back home," she replied with an attempt at a stern look.

"Are you saying you don't want me?" he sputtered exaggeratedly.

"Oh, I always want you. I'm just saying that you can't have me in your parents' guest bathroom."

"Come on, Ace. Live a little," he encouraged her, nipping at her neck and ear. He pulled her hips flush against his and growled in her ear, and she couldn't stop the soft moan that escaped her lips. "No one would ever know," he whispered, sneaking his hands under her skirt.

"My mom will know," she protested weakly. She knew she was going to give in...her appetite for Logan was insatiable.

"And she'll be proud of you," Logan smirked. "My, my, Ace. You seem to have forgotten your panties tonight."

"Did I, now?" she purred.

"I have the most amazing girlfriend," he murmured. He quickly unzipped his pants and bent her over the bathroom counter. "Let me reward you for being so amazing," he whispered as he ran his hands up her sides and slid into her.

"Everything okay, kids?" Lorelai asked with a smirk when they returned to the table looking disheveled. She knew exactly what they'd been up to, but the elders seemed to be oblivious.

"Fine," Rory replied with a blush. "I just wasn't feeling so well. I think I'm okay now. Babe, could you get me a martini?" she asked, turning toward Logan.

"Sure, Ace," he replied. He stood up and kissed her on the top of the head before walking to the drink cart.

"Rory, dear, are you sure you should be drinking in your...current state?" Shira sputtered.

"I'm really feeling much better now; it will be fine," she assured them.

"But...what about...the…," Emily sputtered.

"Are you okay, Emily?" Richard asked with a sly grin.

"Yes, of course. It's just...I don't think Rory should be drinking," Emily finally replied.

"And why's that, Mom?" Lorelai pressed.

"Well, she's been sick and hasn't seen a doctor. Perhaps it's some condition that requires her to abstain from alcohol," Emily offered.

"What conditions would require that?" Chris asked.

"Certain medications would preclude the use of alcohol, or pregnancy," Emily replied, obviously flustered.

"That's impossible - I'm on birth control," Rory replied quickly.

"But...it's not always effective," Shira chimed in.

"I've taken it just as prescribed every single day." Rory picked up the martini that Logan had sat down next to her and lifted it to her lips.

"Stop!" Emily and Shira yelled in unison.

"Is there some good reason I shouldn't drink this?" Rory asked. "Because if there isn't, I'm going to enjoy a few."

Emily and Shira exchanged guilty looks. "Rory, dear, we just want you to consider that you might be pregnant," Emily responded.

"I've successfully taken my birth control for years, Grandma. I think I'm fine."

"But…," Shira stalled.

"I think we'd better tell her," Emily whispered. "Rory, when we were at your apartment I accidentally switched your birth control with your grandfather's medication."

"How exactly does one accidentally switch medications?" Logan asked, annoyance obvious.

"Well, you see," Shira sputtered, "we simply thought it would be lovely if there was a new addition to the family."

"Shira!" Mitchum exclaimed. "I cannot believe you!"

"I was shocked myself when I heard them speaking about their plans. I called Rory at once to warn her and she informed me that she was now on a different medication," Richard added.

"So you're not pregnant?" Emily screeched.

"No, I'm not pregnant, but we are both highly disappointed in you both. Now, if you'll excuse Logan and I, we'll be on our way. I believe Mom and the men need to speak with you."

Rory and Logan bid everyone farewell and retrieved their coats before leaving.

"Brilliant performance, Ace," Logan chuckled as they got into the car.

"We make a great time," she giggled. "Now, to Rich Man's Shoe to fill everyone in."


	29. Chapter 29

"I'm going to miss you so much, Ace," Logan said huskily while nuzzling into her neck, enjoying the way that her hair tickled his cheek.

"I'm going to miss you, too, Babe," Rory replied. "It will be worth it, though. Just keep reminding yourself of what we'll gain from this time apart."

"Don't call it time apart, Ror. That makes it sound like we're breaking up. We're still us - I just have to be in London with the Dark Lord for the summer. But we'll still talk and text every day, and you're coming to visit me next month."

"It will be over before we know it, and then we'll both be back at Yale for your senior year. And by going to London for the summer, you get to stay here after graduation so we don't have to be apart after you graduate," Rory encouraged him.

"I'll be reminding myself of that constantly. After all, I'd hate to run off and marry you only to have to immediately move halfway across the world," he agreed.

"No, that wouldn't do at all. After all, I'm planning on thoroughly enjoying a very naked, pleasurable honeymoon in our private overwater bungalow off the coast of Bora Bora," Rory chuckled. "Just...promise me that you'll be good, yeah? I need you to come back to me...well, I need you to still be mine when you come home." She knew that Colin and Finn were planning to spend most of the summer in London with Logan, and she'd be lying if she said that didn't make her a bit nervous. They were both still playing the field and burning through one-night-stands at an alarming rate. While they both liked her, she knew that they also missed the way things were previously when Logan was there to chase skirts with them.

Logan took Rory's face in his hands and brought her eyes up to meet his. "Hey, hey. Don't even think that I would do anything to jeopardize us, Ace. You're the most important thing in the world to me; I am very happily a one-woman man now," he reassured her.

"I know you are. It's just hard sometimes to believe that you would choose me out of all the girls who throw themselves at you."

"There's the thing - you didn't throw yourself at me, and I found that incredibly sexy. I don't want some mindless bimbo or a meaningless fuck. I want you, Rory. All of you."

"And I want all of you," she confessed with a smile. "Now, your dad's giving you the look from out on the tarmac. You'd better get going."

Logan pulled Rory into his arms, eliminating every last bit of space from between them, and kissed her soundly. This kiss would have to last them a few weeks.

"I'll miss you, Ace," he whispered.

"I'll miss you, too, babe. I love you, Logan," she said tearily.

"And I love you, Ror," he replied. He kissed her on the forehead, leaving his lips to linger for a bit, and then pulled away. He got one last hug and kiss and then disentangled from her. He picked up his messenger bag and willed himself to walk away from the life of his life and get onto that plane. He reached up and stroked her cheek gently and then kissed it before turning away. As he passed Tristan, he reached out and patted his back. "Take good care of her this summer, man."

"You know I will," Tristan replied softly.

Rory watched Logan walk onto the plane and began crying in earnest now. Tristan walked over and took her into his arms, letting her cry in his chest until Logan's plane took off. After a few more minutes he finally decided that it was time to help her pull herself back together.

"You know, if I didn't know better I'd say that you were this upset about spending the next several weeks on a road trip with me," Tristan teased.

Rory laughed softly and slapped his chest.

"You know that's not the case! I'm really looking forward to our road trip; I just don't want to spend an entire summer halfway across the world from him," she admitted quietly.

"I know, Mare, but I promise to try to keep you entertained and happy until you see him again, okay?"

Rory took a deep breath and wiped her face off. She took a few deep breath and finally smiled at him. "Well? What are you waiting for, Bible Boy? I seem to remember you promising me excessive amounts of coffee during our road trip, and we have a schedule to keep!" she teased.

"That's my girl! Alright, come on. I have a thermos of coffee in the car, and there's also a Starbucks down the street. Let's get this summer road trip started!" Tristan answered, happy that she was calmed down and ready to get on the road. They had a fairly long drive in front of them before they would arrive in Virginia Beach late this afternoon. They would spend two days there and then continue to wind down the east coast, finally arriving in South Beach where they would spend a few days. From there, the plan was to make a path through the heart of the States, stopping in Nashville, Chicago, Las Vegas, and finally onto California. The purpose of the trip was twofold - he wanted to keep her occupied while Logan was gone so she didn't turn into a pouty mess, and they also hadn't been able to spend much time together this semester. The epic road trip would remedy both.

He led Rory over to the car - they had chosen to take his '68 Mustang because they both wanted to enjoy driving down the Pacific Coast Highway with the top down - and they drove away from the private airport to begin their summer of fun.


	30. Chapter 30

"So, how's London treating you, Mate?" Finn asked as he and Colin joined Logan at a corner table in a pub a few blocks from Logan's flat. Logan had been gone for a week now, and he missed Rory fiercely. Colin and Finn had flown in today to spend his first weekend in London with him.

Logan took a long drink of his scotch and exhaled. "It's...not as bad as I thought it would be. The Dark Lord has been bearable, and Rory and I have talked daily. I miss her, though. I've grown so accustomed to going to sleep with her in my arms...waking up next to her...her coffee addiction..." His voice drifted off and he picked up his phone and smiled at the picture of the two of them that he'd made into his wallpaper. He unlocked it and sent a quick reply to her last text message. They had a tendency to drag on their texts all evening long.

"That's enough of that, man," Colin interrupted just before he reached out and grabbed Logan's phone. He switched the ringer off and slipped Logan's phone in his pocket, laughing at Logan's dirty look the entire time. "You can text Rory and blow her kisses later. Tonight, you're spending time with us."

"I could do both," Logan pouted.

"Obviously not," Finn admonished him. "Just let loose and let's enjoy tonight for old time's sake. We can get bloody tanked and Colin and I can find some lovely ladies to take back to the hotel while you go back to your lonely flat."

Logan looked at his best friends and finally smiled and nodded. He needed to get out of his funk over being forced to spend the summer in England and try to relax and enjoy himself as much as possible. "You're right. To old times," Logan offered, holding his glass up to toast his long-time friends.

Colin and Finn raised their glasses and offered a toast and then the three of them quickly downed their scotch and ordered another round.

"Make it a bottle of your best!" Finn added before their waitress walked away.

"Some things never change," Logan chuckled. "So, what are you two troublemakers up to while you're here?"

"Well, Father Dearest insists that I check on our hotels in Jolly 'Ole England, so I'm here on official business during the day. At night, I shall continue my lifelong mission of bedding as many redheads as possible," Finn replied with an exaggerated eyebrow wiggle.

"I would expect nothing less," Logan laughed. He turned his attention to Colin. "And you?"

"My official role during this trip is to try to keep Finn out of trouble, but I shall also be indulging in copious numbers of lovely English ladies," answered Colin.

"And we were both told to keep you out of trouble and ensure that you don't do anything stupid to mess up your relationship with Rory, but I don't think we need to worry about that at all," Finn added.

"No, not at all. She's the only one I want. Who was concerned?" he asked.

"The Dark Lord, of course. He didn't want you getting bored in the evenings and looking for love in all the wrong places," answered Colin as he poured them all another shot.

"I guess he's afraid that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, huh? That's really rich. Maybe I should send someone to keep an eye on him for Shira," Logan scoffed angrily.

"He's getting mad, Mate. Give him another shot," Finn jumped in quickly.

Logan quickly put away a few more shots of scotch and then laid his head on the back of the booth and relaxed. He opened his eyes a moment later and watched in amusement as Colin and Finn turned on the charm - it appeared that they had identified their company for the night. He conversed with the now-enlarged group easily the rest of the night, laughing as his friends tried to impress their dates, and wondered if he'd ever been quite as ridiculous and obvious as Colin and Finn were being. He chuckled to himself and said a silent thanks to whatever deity had brought Rory into his life.

Rory looked up from her beach chair and saw Tristan standing over her with two piña coladas in his hands. He handed one to her and then sat down on his chair next to her. They were in the middle of South Beach spending a relaxing afternoon in the sun before checking out the nightlife. They had planned on a nice dinner on the beach and then a night of club hopping.

"This is absolutely perfect," Rory blurted out after taking a drink of her piña colada. "The beach, the waves, the sun, the drink. I can't tell you the last time I felt this relaxed. Thank you for doing this with me, Tris. I know there were other things you could have done with your summer."

"And none of them would have been as good as spending it with my best friend," he reassured her. "We've talked about this since we became friends, and you and I both know that this summer is probably our last chance. Logan will be home with you next summer."

Rory took another drink of her piña colada and then rolled over onto her stomach and untied her bikini top before turning her doe eyes to Tristan. "Will you put some more oil on my back?" she asked.

Tristan sighed and nodded and then moved over next to her. He warmed the oil between his hands and then began rubbing it into her shoulders and back. She was apparently determined to better her tan over the summer.

Several hours later, after a delicious seafood dinner, they walked into Soho Beach House. They both got a drink from the bar and then grabbed a table. After a few minutes, Rory finished her drink and stood up. "I'm going to go to the restroom and then call Logan. When I'm finished, you're going to dance with me," she ordered before walking off.

She walked into the restroom and took care of business and then sat down on the trendy sofa in the corner. The bathrooms were the quietest place in the club. She tapped Logan's name and then placed the phone to her ear, waiting to hear the voice of the one she missed so much. She froze when she heard the voice on the other end.

"Hello?" came a distinctively female voice and giggle. Rory's mouth went dry and she choked back a sob. "Is anyone there?" the strange voice asked.

Then she heard a muffled male voice in the background. "Come back to bed, baby. It's time for round two."

"Keep your pants off," the bimbo on the other line giggled.

Rory ended the call and walked out of the bathroom in an emotional daze. She stumbled into Tristan's arm, feeling numb all over.

"Hey, what happened?" he asked, terribly concerned about how distressed she was suddenly. Rory looked devastated, and he'd barely caught her when she fell into him.

"He's cheating on me," she choked out. "I...I called him and some...some tart answered! And then I heard him telling her to come back to bed for round two!"

"I'm so sorry, Ror," Tristan said softly as he hugged her more tightly. "You want to head back to the hotel?" he offered.

Rory took a minute and pulled herself together. She didn't want to wallow. She didn't want pity. She wanted to drink and dance and forget everything.

"No, I want to stay here. Now, I'm going to go get a drink, and then you owe me a dance, mister!" she finally answered.


	31. Chapter 31

"Don't you think you should slow down there?" Tristan asked as Rory finished her third drink since she'd returned from the bathroom. She was far from a lightweight, but the last thing he wanted was to see her get wasted and do something she would regret.

"I'm completely fine!" Rory insisted. "I'm not even tipsy."

"Well, I'm going to take a breather," Tristan replied, hoping to get her to sit down for a bit and talk through what was going through her mind. He knew that the meltdown was only a matter of time.

"Go ahead, I'm going to keep dancing," she agreed.

He sighed and walked over to a nearby barstool, ensuring he could keep a close eye on her. Rory was a wildcard when she was angry, and he wasn't sure what to expect from her at this point. He watched her dance seductively, swaying her hips and enjoying the music in her own little world, in a skimpy black halter top and short skirt, her killer legs made to look even longer because of her stilettos. She was sex on legs tonight, which was only confirmed as he watched several men begin to make their way closer to her.

He forced himself to stay where he was as long as things didn't escalate and soon there were two men dancing with her. She began grinding suggestively on the man behind her and he swallowed hard. He wasn't certain how long he could watch this. When she leaned forward and kissed the man in front of her, he couldn't watch anymore. He stood up quickly and made his way over to where she was on the dance floor, intent on stopping her from making a huge mistake. Hands had already begun to wander, much to his dismay. This wasn't his Rory at all.

He slipped in between Rory and one of the men and began dancing with her, turning her away from her adoring public as he did. He leaned down to her ear. "Ror, this isn't what you want to do," he warned her. "This isn't like you at all. Come on, let's go back to the hotel," he urged.

"No, Tris. I just...I need to forget," she pleaded. She moved toward him so quickly that he didn't realize what was happening until her lips were on his. He reached out and grabbed her shoulders, pushing her firmly away from him.

"Stop it, Rory!" he ordered. "You can't do this."

"Then let me go back to dancing with them! I'm sure one of them will be more than happy to take me back to their room and make this whole horrible night go away," she almost sobbed. She began to move away from Tristan and he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his body.

"Rory, that isn't what you want. You're not the type to sleep with some random guy because your asshole boyfriend cheated on you. Think about it. Is that really what you want?" he pleaded, hoping to help her think more clearly.

"I just...I need to feel something other than hurt. I need something to take my mind off of this devastation, Tris," she whispered. "Please, let me do this," she pleaded weakly.

"I can't let you, Rory," Tristan insisted. He knew she would regret it tomorrow morning.

"Either let go of me or take me back to the hotel and have sex with me!" she demanded. "Which will it be?"

Tristan looked at her and immediately saw the determination in her eyes. He had no doubt that she would get her way, either with him or with some stranger. He sighed and nodded. It might haunt him for the rest of his life - it was no secret that he was crazy about her - but he would do anything to keep her from having sex with some stranger.

"Alright, let's go back to our suite," he finally consented. Rory looked up at him in shock and then smiled. Before he could say another word, she fused her lips to his, nibbling on his bottom lip as she kissed him passionately. His last thought was that he may never recover from this emotionally.

He pulled away breathlessly and then took her hand and led her out of the nightclub. They walked the two blocks to their hotel quickly. Her hands seemed to be everywhere, and once he'd relented and agreed to have sex with her his libido had taken over. He'd never in a million years imagined that he'd be in this position, but it was a far better alternative than a stranger.

They entered their suite at last, and Rory immediately pressed him up against the door, kissing him passionately as she unbuttoned his shirt. She threw it across the room and kicked her shoes off as she moved her lips to his neck and chest. She pulled his hips close and moaned deeply. "You know, if this is going to work, you're going to have to touch me, too," she panted.

He nodded and finally surrendered to what was happening between them. He took both of her hands in one of his and pinned them behind her back as he moved his lips to her neck and shoulders. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he picked her up, and he carried her to his bedroom and laid her down in the bed. She pulled him down with her, her hands immediately going to his belt. Within minutes, they were both laying there skin-to-skin.

"Are you sure you're sober enough to know what you're doing, Rory?" Tristan asked. He wouldn't forgive himself for hurting her or taking advantage of her.

"Yes, Tris. Please!" she pleaded, arching her back toward him.

"You're so damn beautiful," he muttered before leaning down to kiss her again, trying to commit every single moment to memory. For Rory, this may be an attempt to feel something when her heart was broken, but for him it's finally making love to the woman who had captured his heart back at Chilton.


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N: This wasn't what I had planned here, but your comments and reactions to what happened in the last chapter changed my mind - I just couldn't break your hearts. The original plan was Tristan and Rory starting something, sending Rogan on an angsty journey until they finally reconciled down the road. Thank you to the person who suggested Logan having dreamed it. You're just going to have to be a bit flexible here and go with it if you don't want chapter upon chapter of drama. :-)**

Logan shot up out of his bed, gasping for breath and in a cold sweat. That dream...it had been so real. He quickly got up out of his bed and walked into the office, opening his laptop and clicking on Skype. He had to hear her voice to calm his mind. In the matter of a few seconds, he saw Rory's beautiful face. She had obviously been sleeping - it was the middle of the night in Miami. His heart rate returned to normal as he saw that she was wearing pajamas and alone in the bed.

"Hey, babe. You okay?" Rory asked sleepily. Logan never called her in the middle of the night.

"Yeah, I'm fine now," Logan said quietly. "I had this awful dream. Colin took my phone last night at the pub because I wouldn't quit texting you, and I dreamed that you called it and his date answered the phone. You thought I was cheating on you and begged Tristan to have sex with you to because you were mad and hurt." His voice trailed off, and Rory's heart broke at seeing how upset he was.

"Logan, look at me," she commanded softly. "I would never do that to you, Logan, and I know that you would never do that to me either. I love you too much to even think about it." She sat up against the headboard, desperately wanting to be able to reach out and touch him.

"I know," he whispered. "I don't know why I would even dream that."

"I have a question, and I need you to be honest with me. Does it bother you that I'm traveling with Tristan?"

"I don't think it does," Logan answered uncertainly. "It never has while I was awake, at least. I just...I needed to hear your voice. I'm sorry I woke you up."

"Don't ever apologize for waking me up if you need me. You're way more important than sleep," Rory admonished. "I just wish I could be there with you so I could wrap my arms around you."

"Me too, Ace," Logan whispered. "I didn't realize how hard it would be to be away from you for the entire summer."

"It will be time for my visit before you know it, baby, and then we'll spend a few weeks together" she reassured him.

"It can't come fast enough," Logan chuckled. "Thanks for talking to me. I'll let you get back to sleep. I love you, Ace"

"I love you too, Logan," she promised before he ended the Skype session.

Rory laid there in bed for several minutes, wishing with everything that she was there with him at that moment. She only hesitated for a minute before making a decision and getting up.

Logan walked into his living room and groaned when he saw Mitchum sitting there waiting on him.

"Ever think about knocking, Mitchum?" Logan asked as he sank down onto his couch across from Mitchum.

"I just wanted to come by and talk for a bit. Have fun with Colin and Finn last night?"

"Yeah, we had a few drinks and then they headed out with their dates for the evening," Logan answered.

"Good, good," Mitchum replied awkwardly. "I just wanted you to know that I'm proud of you, son. You've done a great job this week in the office, and I know that HPG will be in good hands with you at the helm. I would like to retire once you've graduated and gotten acclimated to the job. Perhaps Miss Gilmore would be a good asset to help you run the business?"

"Rory isn't an asset," Logan snapped. "She's an amazing woman - the woman I love. I'm certain that she will do an incredible job of helping to run HPG, though."

"I'm glad we're on the same page. Here," Mitchum offered, taking an envelope out of his suit pocket and handing it to Logan.

Logan took the offered envelope and opened it curiously. He began reading the papers and then looked up at his father questioningly.

"It's all legal and notarized. Upon your marriage to Miss Gilmore, you will be named CEO of HPG and she will be named COO. I will retire effective the day you return from your honeymoon and you'll be at the helm."

Logan quickly schooled his features in an attempt to not give anything away and placed the papers back in the envelope. "Is this your way of trying to ensure that I marry someone who will benefit our family?" he asked suspiciously.

"It's my hope that it's an added incentive to keep making me proud," Mitchum answered. He stood and took his leave.

Logan threw the papers down on the coffee table. He was exhausted from the fitful night's sleep. He clicked the television on and laid down on the couch, hoping to catch a few hours of peaceful sleep now that he'd heard Rory's voice.


	33. Chapter 33

Rory emerged from the terminal, bags in hand, and smiled when she saw the driver holding the sign with her last name. She had called Colin and Finn and asked for their help in getting to Logan's flat and they had immediately sprung into action and made arrangements to send their driver to pick her up upon her arrival and to get Logan out for a bit so she could surprise him.

"I'm Miss Gilmore, but please call me Rory," she told the driver as she approached him.

"Lovely to make your acquaintance, Miss Rory," the driver answered with a smile. "Please, allow me to get your bags." He took her bags and led her out of the terminal toward the waiting town car.

"Thank you. I don't think I caught your name?" she asked. She may have grown up in a life of privilege, but she believed strongly that everyone deserved to be treated with kindness and respect.

"It's Henry, ma'am," he answered with a smile.

"Well, thank you for your help, Henry."

Henry smiled at the beautiful young lady - she was obviously someone very special. The girls he usually picked up for his employer's son and friends were vastly different than the lovely girl in front of him, and he was momentarily puzzled by her involvement with the lads.

He helped Rory into the car and then situated himself in the driver's seat to begin their short journey into the heart of London.

"Have you been friends with Masters Colin and Finn for long, Miss Rory?" he asked curiously.

"I've known them for a few months now. We met through my boyfriend, Logan Huntzberger." Rory noticed the driver's eyes widen and laughed. "That's the usual reaction to people finding out that Logan has a girlfriend; I've actually gotten used to it now," she continued in amusement.

"Well, Master Logan is certainly a very lucky man," the driver chuckled.

They arrived at Logan's flat a few minutes later and Henry left Rory and her luggage in the capable hands of the building concierge. Logan had already left word that Rory was to be given a key card when she arrived in anticipation of her planned trip a few weeks later, and before she knew it she was whisked up into Logan's flat.

She stood taking in the view of the city and the clean, modern feel of the apartment. It was sterile and lacked the welcoming, lived-in feel of hers and Logan's apartment back in New Haven.

She walked through the apartment, exploring further, and smiled when she walked into the bedroom. The room smelled of Logan - a comforting mixture of his cologne and the scent that was uniquely him - and she instantly felt at home. It had only been a week since she'd seen him, but she missed him fiercely before arriving in London. Now, standing here among his things and his scent, her heart ached to have him close. She walked closer to the nightstand and picked up the picture of them that was proudly displayed. It was the two of them wrapped up in each other's arms on the beach at Thanksgiving.

Her phone buzzed and she looked down to see a text from Finn that Logan would be home in about an hour. She quickly sprung into action, unpacking her clothes and shoes and putting them away in the closet and then putting her toiletries in the bathroom. Then she changed into something special she'd purchased for Logan and got comfortable in the bed.

Logan sighed and ran his hand through his hair as the elevator ascended to his flat. Colin and Finn had drug him out of the house, despite his intense desire to stay home, and he'd finally managed to convince them that he was ready to go back home. Their outing today had seemed pointless, and he still wasn't sure why they'd felt the need to galavant around town.

He exited the elevator and dropped his keys in the bowl next to the door as he entered his flat. Something felt...different...but he couldn't put his finger on what it was. The whole place felt warmer, more inviting, more like home. He shook his head and walked toward the master bedroom, ready to slip out of his shoes and relax.

He turned the corner into the bedroom and his heart stopped. His girlfriend - the woman he loved more than anything - was laying there in his bed. Her hair was fanned out around her head and she was wearing a stunning blue silk teddy. He blinked, certain that this must be a dream, and smiled when their eyes met.

"You're here..." he whispered. He kicked his shoes off as quickly as possible and sprinted to the bed, anxious to feel Rory in his arms. "I'm so happy to see you, but what are you doing here?" he asked as her began nuzzling her neck and kissing her shoulder.

"I just...I knew after we Skyped yesterday that I needed to be here with you. I packed and had Tristan drop me off at the airport and here I am," she replied softly, running her hands up and down his muscular back.

"God, I missed you, Ace," Logan murmured. "How long can you stay?"

"I'm here for as long as you want me here, baby. I can't stand being apart for the whole summer."

Logan's smile grew even bigger and his eyes lit up. "Can you stay until I get to come home? I can't stand being away from you either," he asked as he continued kissing down her body.

"I can," she whispered, and then she moaned as he hit a particularly sensitive spot. He was quickly working her into a desperate state.

"That's the best news I've heard since you told me that you love me the first time," he replied.

"Logan?"

"Hmm?" His lips were far too busy to talk.

"Logan, baby, please. Make love to me. I need you," she begged.

"And I need you, my love."

They spent the rest of the day in bed, happily wrapped up in each other's arms. They would drift off to sleep after making love, and soon one of them would wake and reignite the fire between them. As they drifted off to sleep late that night, Logan sighed happily. Rory was wrapped around him, safe and happy in his arms, and nothing had ever felt more right. He thought over their plan to marry quietly after he graduated the following year and smiled. She was here for the summer. There was no reason that they couldn't get their marriage license here in England and sneak away for a weekend to elope. He resolved to talk to her about his idea the next day and then closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.


	34. Author’s note on missing chapter

I went back and updated chapter 10 to include the missing content that was originally chapter 11. Go back and check it out and leave a comment - it's the scene that leads up to our happy couple deciding that they knew they wanted to be together and finally making it into the bedroom. I hope you enjoy the missing chapter!


	35. Chapter 34

"Morning, Ace," Logan whispered as he felt Rory's body stretch along his. Her bare skin felt wonderful next to his. This was certainly his favorite way to wake up.

"Mmm...morning, baby," she purred. "How did you sleep?

"Better than I've managed to sleep since the day I left you," he admitted.

"Me, too," she agreed. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for work?"

"You trying to rush me out of bed?" he chuckled.

"No, not at all," Rory giggled. "Just didn't want the boss getting in trouble for being late."

Logan moved to nuzzle her neck and pulled her body closer to his. "I'm not the boss - not yet - and I talked to Mitchum and told him that I wanted to take the day off so I could spend it with my amazing girlfriend who changed her summer plans so she could be with me."

"And that worked?" she asked with a laugh.

"Miraculously, it did. He seems to really like you. Speaking of which, I need to talk to you about something…" Logan trailed off.

"Can it wait? I had more pressing things on my mind," she replied seductively as she wiggled her ass closer to Logan and heard him groan.

He trailed his fingers down her side, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake, and began moving his hips against her. He was quickly working her into quite a state. She reached behind her and stroked him a few times and he quickly moved her leg on top of his and adjusted their position so he could slide into her warmth. She trembled under his attentions and arched into him, craving more.

"God, I missed this," she moaned. Logan growled his agreement and began nipping and kissing her neck, causing her climax to erupt unexpectedly. He followed quickly after her and they both laid there still joined as their heart rates returned to normal.

"I love you, Ace," whispered Logan.

"Mmm...I love you too," she agreed. "How about a shared shower to start our day?"

"Sounds perfect."

Logan quickly stood from the bed and threw Rory over his shoulder to carry her to the bathroom. They made love again in the shower, not coming out until the substantial hot water supply had run out. After getting dressed they moved to the kitchen to start coffee and cook breakfast together.

"What's on the agenda for today?" Rory asked while she whisked eggs to scramble and Logan fried french toast.

"I actually need to talk to you about that, but I would prefer to wait until we're sitting down to eat so I'm not focused on not burning our toast."

"Sure," Rory agreed. They quickly finished cooking breakfast and then sat down across from each other at the table to eat. "It seems like something's on your mind?" Rory prodded over a sip of coffee.

Logan quickly swallowed and nodded. "There is, actually." He crossed the room and picked up the envelope from Mitchum and then walked back to the table and sat it down in front of Rory. "I want you to see this and then we'll talk."

Rory picked up the envelope and pulled the papers out, straightening them in front of her as she continued to tuck into her french toast. She quickly read through the contract Mitchum had drawn up and signed and then looked up at Logan. "This is a good thing, right?" she asked.

"That depends on how you feel about it, really. I'm expected to lead HPG into the future, but you're not obligated to help run the company. I would love to have you by my side, and I think we'd be a formidable team, but it's your call," Logan assured her.

Rory thought quietly for a few minutes and then looked up with a smile. "I think we would be a strong team as well, and I would love to join the HPG management team after we're married," she agreed.

Logan exhaled the breath he'd been holding and returned her smile. "I'm really glad, Ace. There's something else, but I wanted you to know about that before we have this second conversation. I've been thinking...what would you say to going away for a weekend while you're here and eloping? I know we'd talked about getting married quietly when I graduate, but I don't want to wait," Logan rambled.

Rory's dropped her fork and looked at Logan in shock. He wanted to get married now? She stared at him for a minute, her mind working a million miles a minute at she considered what he'd proposed.

"Why now?" she whispered.

"Because I love you, Rory, and I know without a single doubt that you and I are forever. We could wait - and I will if you want to - and we could go with our original plan, or we could wait until after you've graduated and have a big wedding that will make Page Six - but I am completely confident in our relationship, and I don't want to wait to call you my wife. I don't want our families getting involved and meddling; I want to do this on our terms and for our own reasons. What do you say, Ace?" Logan pleaded hopefully. "Isn't that the point of being young? It's your choice, Ace. People can live a hundred years without really living a minute. We take this step together, it's one less minute we haven't lived."

Rory smiled and nodded. "Let's do it. You jump, I jump, Jack!"

"Yeah?" Logan asked with a huge smile. Rory laughed and nodded again, and he jumped from his chair and pulled her into his arms for a kiss to seal their agreement. "You've just made me the happiest man in the world, Rory," he murmured between kisses and laughs. "You just tell me when and we'll make it happen. Maybe we can go apply for our marriage license and look for rings today?"

"Of course, we can go after breakfast," Rory agreed. "And as for when, as far as I'm concerned it should be the first weekend away you can get."

"I'll make it happen soon," he promised.


	36. Chapter 35

"Anything your heart desires, Ace – name it," Logan whispered as they walked into the upscale jewelry store in the heart of London. Logan had pulled some strings to get a private appointment at Harry Winston, and that was only the beginning of what he had up his sleeve for Rory. He was over-the-moon happy that she had agreed to marry him, and he wanted to ensure that everything was exactly as she'd always dreamed.

After breakfast, he had slipped into the study while Rory took a shower and got ready for the day. He'd first placed a call to his father to ensure that he could have the weekend off and then had gone into action arranging other details. They'd immediately decided that they wanted the people they were closest to with them when they wed, so he'd made arrangements to have Tristan, Paris, and Steph fly in at the end of the week. Chris and Lorelai would fly in on Wednesday so they could help see to final details, and Colin and Finn were going to stay until after the wedding as well. Logan didn't care to have his parents present for the wedding, and Honor and Josh couldn't make the trip out on such short notice. Their little wedding party of seven would be perfect for them.

The newly-engaged couple was shown to a private VIP room where they were shown a countless number of rings until they found just what they wanted. Rory's face lit up when she saw the Belle Round Brilliant Diamond Micropave engagement ring with the matching band and Logan knew instantly that was the one. While she snuck out for a quick restroom break, he also purchased the matching Belle pendant and earstuds to match as a wedding present. For Logan, they chose a thick platinum band with a single diamond in the center that mirrored the style of Rory's rings.

Fresh off of their success at the jeweler, Logan took Rory to a quiet lunch at a nearby pub and then had the driver drop him at the flat before taking Rory to London's premier designer bridal boutique to look for a dress. His mission while she was finding the perfect gown? Look for a wedding venue and begin to make arrangements for other details.

Rory took a deep breath and walked into the exclusive London bridal shop where Logan had managed to get her a same-day appointment. She had insisted that she didn't mind just going to a local department store to pick out an evening gown, but Logan was adamant that she have the experience that she deserved. Seeing how important it was to him, she had finally agreed.

Rory was greeted by her consultant, Chelsea, and quickly taken to a private area where she could try on dresses without being seen by the local paparazzi or public. She and Logan knew that they wouldn't be able to keep their marriage a secret – and really, neither of them wanted to – but they were hoping to keep it under wraps until after they'd tied the knot in order to avoid the circus that would come with family and the media knowing beforehand.

"So Rory," Chelsea began as they sat down, "I'm delighted to help you find your dream dress. I understand from your husband-to-be that we'll need to find something off-the-rack or that can be altered by the end of the week and that we don't need to be respectful for a budget?"

Rory laughed and took a sip of the champagne in front of her. "Yes, it's rather impulsive, but we're very excited. Logan and I are both from Hartford society back in the States, and with him being the heir to the Huntzberger empire as well, we garner quite a bit of media attention. Then you add in well-meaning but overbearing family…well, we'd rather just get married quickly and quietly with my parents and a few friends in attendance and then let the chips fall where they may when the word gets out. We want to do this on our terms. And as for budget, he's correct there as well," she explained. Her mom and dad had instantly insisted that she use her American Express Black Card to purchase whatever dress and accessories she fell in love with, regardless of cost. She had initially put up a fuss, but Chris had been firm.

"So, how did you and your fiancé meet?" Chelsea asked, and Rory immediately began laughing even harder.

"I guess you could say we do everything on our own terms," Rory began with a smile as she thought about the beginning of their relationship. "Both of our families, minus my parents, wanted to con Logan and I into a fake relationship for the sake of business. We ended up getting to know each other in order to get our families off our backs, and it just fit. I was determined not to fall for him, but he won me over every single day. He had never had a committed relationship in his life, but if you ask him he'll tell you that I made him want to settle down. It's just…it's perfect. So many people in our situations don't marry for love, and we feel so lucky that we found each other and get to spend our lives together."

Chelsea smiled and sighed, obviously enjoying the story of the young couple. "So romantic! So tell me, Rory, what do you see yourself in for your wedding?"

Rory pulled a face and giggled. "Honestly, I'm not really sure. I know that I want to take his breath away when he sees me. I'm thinking something classy but sexy. I know that my grandmothers and his mom would push me into something huge and fluffy and elaborate and grand, and that's the last thing I would want. Anything you would expect to see at one of the stuffy society affairs is completely out!"

"We can absolutely find you something. I'm going to go grab a few dresses, and you can change into the robe that's hanging inside the dressing room. I'll be back before you know it," Chelsea said before walking out the door.

Rory changed into the white silk robe and then sat down and picked up her phone. She didn't even think about what she was doing and within a few seconds she was Googling for local venues, photographers, restaurants, and ideas. She was so engrossed in her searching that she jumped when Chelsea walked back in the room.

"Sorry, I guess I got engrossed in looking at ideas for the wedding," Rory explained sheepishly when Chelsea raised her eyebrows at her.

"No need to apologize," Chelsea chuckled. "Now, I have several different styles of dresses here in different silhouettes so we can narrow down what you're looking for. Don't write a dress off just because of how it looks on the hangar - we have as much time as we need in order to find your perfect dress."

Rory nodded and walked over to where Chelsea was hanging up dresses. She ran her hands reverently over the fabric of the gowns and gasped suddenly.

"Everything okay?" Chelsea asked.

"Yeah, it's just...I'm getting married," Rory whispered. "It just got real."

"It's about to get even more real. You ready to try these on?" Chelsea asked. Rory nodded her assent and allowed Chelsea to help her into the first dress, a beautiful cream colored A-line with a plunging neckline and black and a flowing chantilly lace skirt. She stepped to the mirror once she was fully situated in the dress and turned from side to side, appraising herself. She wrinkled her nose and shook her head.

"It's beautiful, and it certainly fits the criteria of being classy but sexy, but it just feels like it's too much dress for me. And it doesn't make me feel anything special," Rory observed.

"Alright, we'll move on. Let's stick to a silhouette that's more fitted and see what you think," Chelsea offered.

She helped Rory out of the first dress and into a fit and flare. It was a bright white and its beauty was in its simplicity and the way it fit her body tightly, like a second skin.

"This feels too formal," Rory said with a frown.

"I agree - we need to find something that really fits your personality," Chelsea added.

Dress number two went back on the hangar and Chelsea helped Rory into a daring lace mermaid style dress that had cutouts and see-through panels. Rory instantly laughed when she saw herself in the mirror.

"Logan would love this, but I don't feel comfortable wearing it in public," she giggled. "I'm certain these pictures will end up in the society pages and our families will see them."

Chelsea nodded along and smiled broadly. "I think I have the perfect gown, but I don't want you to see it until it's on. Close your eyes for me," she commanded softly and Rory instantly complied.

She felt the dress as Chelsea slid it on her body and almost couldn't breathe as the anticipation built. The dress hugged her body tightly and felt so decadent against her skin. Chelsea pulled her hair into a low chignon and then placed a veil on her head before turning her toward the mirror.

"Alright, open your eyes," Chelsea whispered.

Rory opened her eyes and gasped when she saw herself in the mirror. Her eyes took in the vision and tears flooded her eyes. The dress was a beautiful, delicate white lace fit and flare with a cream silk lining. It had a low V neck that was just low enough to draw interest without being obsene. The back plunged to a deep scoop right at her bottom and had delicate pearl buttons. There was a small, unlined train that felt perfect - enough to be soft and romantic but not excessive. The veil was a simple, single-layer, floor length white tulle that was soft and beautiful against the lace of the dress.

"This is it," Rory whispered. "It's absolutely perfect." She turned from side to side, looking at herself in the mirror with a huge smile.

"I thought it might be perfect for you," Chelsea replied with a smile. "You look absolutely stunning."

"Thank you so much for your help. Whatever else I need - I trust you completely."


	37. Chapter 36

Rory took one last look in the mirror and then walked into the living room to join everyone else. Her parents had arrived earlier in the week and helped finalize all of the arrangements for their small wedding celebration. Tomorrow was the big day, and tonight they were all going out to dinner to celebrate the couple and enjoy time together. Chris and Lorelai had secured Blades at Hush Mayfair for their evening out, and Rory couldn't wait to see the venue.

Logan smiled broadly and wrapped his arms around his bride-to-be when he saw her enter the room. She looked absolutely radiant in a deep blue cocktail dress with a sweetheart neckline and fitted bodice. The soft chiffon flared into a loose, swishy skirt that moved as she walked. He'd never seen her look so beautiful. He leaned down and kissed her sweetly and then grabbed glasses from both of them from the tray sitting on the kitchen island. He held up his glass and looked toward their family and friends who were there to support them.

"To each of you who so graciously rearranged your lives so that you could be with us as we officially begin our lives together. Rory and I are grateful for each of you. To family – both by blood and by choice!" he offered.

"To family!" they all replied as they clinked glasses and sipped their champagne. A few minutes later, they all gathered and headed down to the waiting limousine to be whisked away to dinner. The group laughed and talked animatedly on the way and soon pulled up in front of their destination.

Rory gasped when she looked up and turned to her parents with an awestruck smile on her face. "This is…I can't believe it!" Rory squealed as she moved to hug both of her parents. The front of Hush was beautifully green and lush and had white lights everywhere, giving it an ethereal glow. They were escorted inside to their private room which was beautifully decorated in cream and black with beautiful pops of color and everyone settled in for cocktails before dinner was served. Once they all had drinks in their hands, Chris stood.

"It seems we're doing everything a bit differently than tradition would dictate, but anyone who has ever met Lorelai or Rory shouldn't be surprised," he began, causing everyone to chuckle. "Lorelai and I are so happy that you're all here with us this weekend to celebrate Rory and Logan. I'll be honest, I didn't care for Logan much when he and Rory started seeing each other. I didn't think anyone would ever be good enough for my little girl, but as I saw how much he cared for her and how well he loved her my feelings changed. I'm grateful that you both wanted us here with you as you tie the knot tomorrow, and I will be proud to give my daughter away to you."

He chuckled and choked back the tears that were forming in his eyes as Rory flew into his arms and hugged him fiercely. "Thank you, Daddy. I'll always be your little girl," she whispered. He hugged her more tightly and held her for a moment, relishing the opportunity to have his girl in his arms.

When they parted Logan stood and embraced Chris. "Thank you," Logan said softly, also caught up in the emotion of the moment.

"Well, since we're giving speeches now," Finn broke in, and everyone turned their attention toward the eccentric Aussie. "I've known our boy Huntzberger since we were in diapers, and I must say, I never considered him to be the marrying type. We've gotten in loads of trouble together and sometimes I wonder how we made it through. When he met us at the bar last fall and informed us that his days of chasing skits were over Colin and I went into mourning. We couldn't possibly understand what would motivate him to want to settle down. We all got to meet Rory the next evening, and we instantly understood. Rory captivated us all with her beauty, wit, sense of humor, and kindness, and we all fell under her spell as Logan did. Logan, mate, I say all of this to say that if I had a Sheila like Rory by my side I would hurry up and put a ring on her finger as well. She's made you a better man, and in a rare moment of honesty I'll admit that I hope to find one like her someday down the road, after many, many more redheads," Finn joked, and everyone laughed.

Tristan stood next and smiled down at the happy couple. "I believe it's my turn now. Mary and I had a rough start to our relationship, and before we were even able to become friends I did something stupid and got myself shipped off to military school. Fortunately, she gave me a second chance a few years ago and became my closest friend. Much like everyone else, I was skeptical and critical when she began seeing Logan. I felt protective and convinced that he was just playing her. Logan, I owe you an apology for that." Logan nodded at Tristan and they exchanged a look. "I've never seen her look happier, more at ease, more confident. She has always been an amazing woman, but being with you has helped her to blossom. Thank you for that. My warning from when we met still stands, though." Logan chuckled and got up to exchange man hugs with Tristan and then moved back next to Rory.

Dinner was served a few minutes later, and they all visited and shared stories over a delicious meal and more cocktails. After dinner, the party continued with a decadent dessert, dancing and more cocktails. Rory looked around here as the night wound down and smiled. This was the beginning of her happily ever after, and she couldn't wait to see where their path led them as long as Logan was by her side.

A/N: I'm writing the next chapter now. The more comments there are, the quicker it will be up!


	38. Chapter 37

Lorelai pinned the veil in Rory's hair and then stood next to her, both of them studying their reflections in the mirror. Rory's hair was in a simple low chignon and her makeup was light and natural, highlighting her natural beauty.

"You look beautiful, Sweets," Lorelai whispered with teary eyes. Rory smiled and took deep breaths, trying to avoid messing up her makeup by getting too emotional.

"Thanks, Mom. I'm so grateful that you guys are here. I wanted to do it this way - quiet and intimate - but I can't imagine getting married without you and Dad."

"No, that wouldn't work at all," Lorelai agreed. "I mean, who would give you the wedding night "you just have to suck it up and do your wifely duty" talk," she joked, and Rory started laughing.

"I think you can skip the talk, Mom," Rory deadpanned. "I'll manage without your helpful tips."

"Are you sure, Kiddo? I mean, your dad loves it when I -"

"Stop!" Rory yelled and Lorelai started laughing hysterically.

"Maybe your dad needs to have the fatherly talk with Logan then, since his dad isn't here and he likes Chris better anyway? Although I'm not sure your dad could stomach telling Logan how to deflower his baby girl."

"Ew, Mom! Stop it! And that ship has long since sailed, and you know it," Rory shot back, sticking her tongue out at her mom.

Just then there was a knock on the door. Chris stuck his head in the door and took a deep breath when he saw Rory standing there in her wedding dress.

"You look absolutely stunning, Ror," he whispered as he walked toward the two women. "I can't believe I'm about to give my little girl away. Are you sure about this?"

Rory nodded and hugged her dad. "I'm absolutely certain, Dad. I love him more than anything, and I know it's right."

"Then I believe this is for you," Chris said as he pulled a jewelry box out of his pocket.

Rory took the box and opened it to find a beautiful white gold bracelet with blue sapphires. "It's beautiful," Rory whispered.

"Your mom wore that on the day we got married," Chris explained.

"And we'd like for you to wear it on yours," Lorelai added. She took the bracelet out of the box and placed it on Rory's wrist.

"And now, these are from your husband-to-be," Chris said as he produced another box from his pocket.

Rory opened the box and saw the stunning necklace and earring set that matched her engagement and wedding rings. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "I can't believe that he got this for me."

"I can, Sweets. That man adores you," Lorelai replied.

"She's right, I wouldn't give you away to him if he didn't," Chris agreed.

"And you gave him his gift, right?" Rory asked as she put on her new jewelry.

"Yes, he loved his watch. Now, I believe it's time. Are you ready?" Chris asked.

"Wait! Last-minute check," Lorelai interjected. "Something old is your shoes, something new is your dress, something borrowed and blue is the bracelet. Alright, you're good."

"Then yes, I'm ready. Let's go get me married!" Rory exclaimed excitedly.

"I'll see you out there, Kiddo," Lorelai said before excusing herself from the room.

"Last chance to run," Chris offered when he and Rory were alone. "You could stay my baby forever."

"I'll always be your baby, but the only place I'm running is to my groom," Rory giggled.

"Then let's go before I change my mind."

Rory picked up her bouquet and laced her arm through her dad's as they walked out of the private room where she'd gotten ready. They walked out the doors and onto the rooftop garden at Coq d'Argent where the wedding ceremony would take place with the sun setting over the London horizon. She looked across the roof to where their friends and family were standing in a circle around the simple lighted arch that had been decorated with beautiful summer flowers. They had decided to wed while surrounded by the friends and family that they had invited to share in their special day. She smiled when she got the first glimpse of Logan. He looked so handsome and she couldn't wait to meet him under the arch.

Logan saw Rory walk out onto the roof and his breath caught in his throat. She looked so stunning, and he suddenly found his eyes watering as he watched her approach. His friends were all around him, but all he could see was his bride getting closer to him. He took a deep breath as Chris placed Rory's hand in his, and he couldn't help but lean forward and kiss her on the forehead.

"You look...there aren't even words," he choked out.

"You look quite handsome yourself," she whispered.

They joined hands and turned toward the justice of the peace to begin their simple ceremony.

"Friends and family, we are here this evening to witness the marriage of Logan and Rory. You have been invited here tonight because you are their closest friends and biggest encouragers. By witnessing their marriage vows, you are also committing to support them as they enter into matrimony."

He turned his attention toward the couple. "Logan and Rory, do you both come here freely and willingly to join your lives together in marriage?"

"We do," they answered certainly.

"Then I will ask that you make your vows to one another. Logan, you may begin."

Logan cleared his throat and entwined their fingers. "Rory, I never saw myself willingly standing here getting married. I thought for certain that I was destined to follow in my parents' footsteps and have a huge society wedding to someone who I could barely stand. When I met you that night at your grandparents' house I was still an eternal bachelor, but you captured my attention within minutes. I was in awe of the amazing woman who handled our families so well. I agreed that night to spend more time with you, and I quickly realized that you would change my entire life. You have made me a better man, Rory - a man who works hard for what he wants rather than just taking what's handed to him, and a man who wants nothing more than to spend the rest of his life in love with you. Rory, I promise to hold your hand for the rest of our lives as you stand next to me, my equal in all things. I promise to remember that I am fighting with you on my side, not fighting against you. I promise that I will always put you and our family above work any other less important things. I promise that I will help you to achieve all of your dreams and won't try to change you into what society expects of you. I will spend the rest of my life loving you and will be faithful to you - to us - because you are my other half. These are my vows to you," Logan said emotionally. He paused to slide the ring on her finger. "Rory, with this ring I thee wed."

Rory smiled and wiped a tear off of Logan's cheek. "Logan, I love you more than I could begin to tell you. When I first met you I was determined not to fall for your charms. I was so surprised when you weren't some charming playboy - you were just you. I fell in love with you little by little as you made me part of your life. You have treated me with such tenderness, respect, and love. I knew that you were the one for me when I thought about my future children and realized that you are the kind of man I would want for my daughter. Logan, I take your hand today and I offer you all of me. I vow to always be your biggest cheerleader and your most honest advisor, I will be in your corner every day of our lives. I will always be honest with you and will consider your wants and needs as equal with my own. I promise to remember that our arguments aren't fights to be won, but struggles to be shared. I will love you fiercely and without reservation, just as you love me. Today, I declare in front of family and friends that you are the only man I will love and share myself with for the rest of my life. I make these promises to you joyfully and freely. I love you." Rory then slid the ring onto Logan's finger. "Logan, with this ring I thee wed."

"I love you, Ace," Logan whispered emotionally. He leaned forward and caressed Rory's face and kissed her tenderly.

"It's almost time for that," the justice of the peace teased, and everyone laughed. "Logan and Rory, you have made your promises to each other and have exchanged rings. By doing so, you have expressed your desire to be husband and wife. Remember this day during the good times and the bad times. And now, by the power vested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife. Logan, you may kiss your bride."

Logan took Rory into his arms and kissed her soundly as he dipped her while their friends and family cheered around them. "I love you, Mrs. Huntzberger," he whispered when he stood her back up.

"And I love you, my husband."


	39. Chapter 38

Logan's POV

I stood near the edge of the rooftop looking out at the beautiful London skyline all lit up at night and sipped my scotch as I thought back over the events of the day. I couldn't quit reliving that moment when I saw Rory walking down the aisle toward me. I'm a man who is never without the appropriate vocabulary to describe a moment, an experience, a feeling, but there were simply no words adequate to convey what I felt as I saw my bride walking toward me. It was a moment of absolutely clarity – of knowing without question that I was exactly where I wanted to be with the woman who I love more than life itself as we pledged to spend the rest of our lives together. I looked down at the ring on my finger and smiled like an idiot.

I heard her approaching before she reached me and turned and pulled her into my arms, giving her a sound kiss as my hands found her soft, warm skin that was bared by her backless wedding gown. "I've never seen a more beautiful woman in my life, Ace. You're absolutely radiant," I whispered. She snuggled into my chest and sighed contentedly.

"I'm radiant because I'm so unbelievably happy and sure of us, Logan," she replied softly, and my heart swelled even more if that's possible.

"That moment I saw you appear at the end of the aisle, it was everything I could do to stay where I was and not sprint down to meet you. You took my breath away and knocked my socks off, Rory. I can't believe you're my wife."

Rory made a happy noise and snuggled in even further. "I'm so happy to be your wife. I want to tell the whole world."

"I don't think you'll have to worry about that; I'm sure the press will handle that for us," I chuckled. "Now, I'd really like to dance with my wife. What do you say?"

"I'll dance with you every day for the rest of my life if you want me to," she replied with a smile.

I took her hand and led her to the center of the small dance floor and then nodded to Finn who had managed to set up a sound system and a playlist for the evening.

"Ladies and gents, it's time for the Mr. and Mrs. Huntzburger's first dance as husband and wife. Rory, this song is from Logan to you," Finn announced loudly before picking the song I'd chosen for our first dance.

The Way You Look Tonight began to play and I pulled Rory into my arms and held her closely as we danced to a song that perfectly described her in this moment. This wasn't a stuffy, formal society waltz; this was a slow, sweet dance with my wife. We swayed together, lost in the moment, and I felt like the luckiest man in the whole world as I held her against my body.

"I can't wait to get you to the hotel and enjoy you out of this dress," I murmured against her ear, and she giggled. We'd elected to get a hotel room in downtown London rather than return to the flat tonight. There was no telling when the press would catch a glimpse and break the story of our wedding, and we didn't want Mitchum showing up on our wedding night demanding an explanation. There was a bit of a running bet over how long it would be until we were outed in the media and our door was being beaten down.

"Not yet, Mac. I want to enjoy our night here with our family and friends a little longer," she said sternly, but she was laughing as she scolded me.

"We have all the time in the world," I whispered as the song began. I dipped her and kissed her deeply and then deposited her into her dad's arms for their dance and walked over to Lorelai.

"I'm closer to you and Chris than I am to my own parents. May I have this dance?" I asked with a smile. I had talked with Rory about dancing with Lorelai while she had her father-daughter dance and she happily agreed.

"Of course you can," Lorelai answered. "Just do me a favor and don't get too mushy about this whole thing; I'm holding on by a thread," she joked.

I laughed and led her out on the dance floor where Rory and Chris were dancing to Butterfly Kisses. "Thank you both so much for being here, Lorelai. It means the world to Rory and me. I think of you two as parents, frankly. I'm hoping that your parenting methods will rub off on me and erase how my parents raised me by the time we decide we want to have kids," I confessed quietly.

"Oh, Kiddo. You're going to be an amazing father when the time comes. Just make sure the time doesn't come too soon," she teased, and I laughed.

"We definitely will make certain of that. Rory has to finish school first, and we need to enjoy time just the two of us," I assured her.

"I know Chris and I weren't too sure of you at first, but we'd have to be blind not to see how much you love our daughter. I trust you to take care of her and love her the way that she deserves, Logan."

"That's something else I've learned from watching you and Chris. My parents didn't teach me that. Honestly, I didn't think I'd ever love until I met Rory. She's just this force to be reckoned with, so full of life, and she draws you in. I think I was a goner that first weekend," I confided in her. "I know I'll mess up and make mistakes, but I promise that I'll always love her and be faithful to her. We'll teach our kids to love as well as you've taught her."

"That's all I could ever want. Welcome to the family, Son."


	40. Chapter 40

Logan's POV

The elevator stopped to let us off at our flat and I bent down and swept Rory into my arms.

"Logan!" Rory squealed as she laughed, and my heart soared.

"Hey, it's tradition. I'm pretty sure I even snuck it in my wedding vows somewhere – to love, cherish, and carry over the threshold," I teased. "Now, help a guy out and open the door."

Rory reached down and turned the doorknob. "Anything for my husband," she whispered just before her lips met mine.

I carried her into the flat, completely immersed in our own little world until I heard someone clearing their throat loudly. I set Rory down on her feet and wrapped my arm around her protectively. "I love you, Ace. If he gets out of line I'll handle him, I promise," I whispered to my wife. She nodded and curled further into my side.

"Dad, we didn't expect to see you here. To what do we owe this pleasure?" I asked. I'd learned at a young age never to confess to Mitchum Huntzberger until you knew what he wanted.

"Son," he nodded toward me as he sat the newspaper down in front of him. My eyes traveled to the page and I instantly knew why he was here. We'd intentionally not looked at any media or press yet in order to preserve our sanity a bit longer. It looked like that was long gone at this point. "Anything you and your bride care to tell me?" he asked smugly.

"It looks like you already know." I nodded toward the paper. "But yes, Rory and I got married yesterday evening with a few close friends and Rory's parents in attendance." I braced myself for the worst as I watched for his reaction.

"You know damn good and well that isn't how things are done in society. There are certain protocols and expectations, which I'm sure I'll be hearing all about from your mother and the Gilmores as soon as they find out what you've done. If you have any sense at all you'll have your marriage annulled, let me leak a story that somehow spins this in another light and makes it look as though the two of you didn't actually marry, and wait until after you've graduated to get married properly," my father scolded us both.

"I'll do no such thing," I insisted. "Rory and I married on our own terms. Frankly, you should expect that from us given our relationship thus far. Neither of us wanted a big, stuffy society affair."

"Yes, well it's time for you to grow up and think about other people instead of making reckless, half-thought-out decisions," Mitchum ranted. I was bracing myself to go to battle with my father one day after the happiest day of my life when I heard my wife's calm, firm voice.

"Mitchum, regardless of proper protocols or how you planned for this to happen, you need to accept that Logan and I are married. And no, we will not have the marriage annulled or divorce quietly in order to pacify your antiquated ideas of how things should be done. We will, however, be gracious and ask that you continue to lead HPG until Logan and I have both graduated from college," Rory informed my father sternly, and I could only smile. She was going to be a formidable opponent in the board room; I was grateful that we'd be fighting for each other because I would hate to face her.

I laughed as Mitchum's face turned red and he sputtered. "Young lady, I may have supported your relationship and encouraged you to marry, but I demand respect!" he bellowed. "You will do as I have asked and make this problem go away so that you can marry at a more socially accepted time and in a manner more becoming to your status."

"Our status is that we're married, Father," I replied tersely. I relished the thought of the next bomb I got to drop on him. He would be angry, but it would assure that we won the war. "Rory and I are equal partners in everything, and as such we did not sign a prenup. As I'm sure you can imagine, even a quiet divorce with the intention of remarrying later wouldn't be beneficial to either family."

Rory and I were both quiet as my father stormed out of the apartment and slammed the door behind him. As soon as he was gone we both started laughing hysterically.

"When are they going to understand that they don't dictate the terms of our lives?" Rory asked with a laugh.

"In all fairness, Ace, I'm pretty sure they've never met a woman like you before. Now, I suggest we turn our cell phones off and enjoy the peace and quiet before my mother and your grandparents show up to talk some sense into us or start planning a huge society wedding back at home."

Rory groaned and nodded. "You're right. Come on, I want to watch some television with my husband." She pulled me down next to her on the couch and curled into my arms as I flipped the TV on. I stopped at a rerun of The Office and tossed the remote onto the coffee table.

We sat there in a comfortable silence as we laughed at our favorite show, and I marveled at how natural this all felt. When the show ended Rory leaned forward and picked up the remote and then hit the mute button.

"Logan?" she asked softly.

"Hmm?"

"How would you feel about trying to get pregnant right before I graduate?" she asked softly, and my eyes snapped up to meet hers.

"Are you sure you would want that?" I asked. "I don't want you to feel like you have to hurry up and produce an heir, or like you're being tied to the house. Of course, you can still work after that, too." My thoughts were a bit jumbled; I'd honestly not seen this coming.

"I'm sure. I don't want us both to get super established in our careers and build our lives around work and then try to work kids into it. I think it would be easier to have a family earlier so we don't become workaholics in the first place," she answered. "Plus, it would be really cool to have a little you running around."

I chuckled and leaned over to kiss her. "You don't want a little me running around here – I was a handful and constantly in trouble. A little you, though, that would be good."

"So you're okay with it?" she asked hopefully.

"I'm more than okay with it. In fact, I think we should start practicing right now." I stood up and threw Rory over to my shoulder and took off to our bedroom at a sprint amidst her giggles.

"Mmm…practice sounds perfect!" she agreed.


	41. Chapter 41

Rory's POV

"Rest now, Ace. Before you know it we'll be meeting our daughter," Logan whispered to me. They'd just given me an epidural and I was finally pain free after hours of labor.

"Tell me a story?" I asked quietly.

"Of course." Logan sat down in the chair next to me and took my hand in his. He gently kissed my forehead. "There once was this man-child who was used to getting everything he wanted and could never imagine settling down. One day he met a beautiful woman who was strong and funny and witty, and she turned his whole life upside down. She stood up to both of their families and showed him that he didn't have to live the life that his parents had planned for him. He instantly fell head-over-heels in love with her and in the process he learned how to be a real man.

"Then one day he got sent off to a far, far away land for the summer with his father, and the beautiful girl surprised him by coming to stay with him. He asked her to spend the rest of her life with him, and she agreed. In a way that only they could pull off, they got married quickly and quietly. When their families found out they were so angry over how they'd gotten married, but they quickly realized there was nothing they could do to change the fact that the couple was married. They were so in love.

"Life finally settled down for them, and he graduated from college. He worked while she finished her last year of college, and right after giving her valedictorian speech on her graduation day she gave him the best gift ever – she told him that they were going to have a baby. Nine months flew by. They moved to New York together to run their business and got ready to become parents. But you know what, Ace?"

"Hmm?" I asked sleepily.

"Their story was only beginning. You see, that man fell more in love with her every single day, and he couldn't think of anything more amazing than building their family and growing old together. She saved him."

"They saved each other," I insisted.

Before I knew it, the doctor said it was time to push. Our baby girl was born on a cold January night in New York, and I'd never known love like that moment. The second Logan brought her over and laid her in my arms, our entire lives changed for the better. She was perfect in every way.

"We did good, Ace," Logan whispered as he stroked his finger down her tiny cheek. "She's perfect – just like you."

"We made her," I whispered reverently. It was an overwhelming thought that this little baby was born out of our love for each other.

"We did. We make gorgeous babies. What do you say to more?" he asked with a smirk.

"I say let me wean this one first," I chuckled.

Logan's POV - 27 years later

I rocked the beautiful little boy in my arms and smiled as his tiny fingers wrapped around mine. He was absolute perfection. I was immediately brought back to the day each of our children was born.

Lorelai Emily, who we called Emily, was our oldest. She was twenty-seven years old now and had just given birth to our first grandchild. Then we had Elijah Lucas, or Eli. He was in his senior year at Yale and poised to take the helm at HPG when he was ready – not because we'd forced him into it, but because he truly loved the business and wanted to run the company. Then we had twin girls, Sophie Leigh and Victoria Honor. Our girls were in their freshman years at Brown and Stanford respectively, Sophie a liberal arts major and Victoria a pre-med student. The four of them were the lights of our lives.

It hadn't always been easy, but we'd worked hard to ensure that we were present in their lives every single day and that they always knew they were more important than anything else. We'd juggled carpool schedules, sports practices, dance recitals, homework, and raising children as a team. We'd even gone so far as to have adjacent offices that had a playroom between them so that our kids could be with us as much as possible. Many said it couldn't be done – that we couldn't be involved parents and run a multi-billion dollar international corporation – but we'd done it. They were smart, well-traveled, cultured, responsible children. Eli took after me a bit more than I would have liked, but he'd never sunk a yacht so that was a win.

I looked up as my beautiful wife of almost thirty years walked over to me. Age had changed us both, but our love had only grown. She was still the most beautiful woman I'd ever met, and I was forever grateful that our parents' meddling had brought us together. Rory and I had been through gloriously good times and heart-wrenching trials. We'd lost Richard and Emily in a car accident when little Emily was only twelve. That had been one of the hardest moments we'd faced. Then we lost my mom about seven years ago and my dad a few years later. I was grateful that we'd finally built a good relationship with them. They were much better grandparents than they were parents when we were young. Fortunately, Chris and Lorelai were still in great health and were headed to the hospital now to meet their first great-grandchild.

"He's so perfect," Rory whispered as she sat down next to me. I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her into my side.

"He is. We're grandparents," I said softly. It didn't even seem possible.

"Who would have ever dreamed that a setup from our families would have brought us all this?" she chuckled.

"Not me, but I'm so grateful that it did. I love you, Ace."

"And I love you, Logan."


End file.
